Scots firefighter's warning to people taking selfies in water this summer

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A Scots firefighter and water safety expert has issued a selfie warning to those spending time in waterways this summer.Piotr Gudan, from Perth and Kinross, is a on-call firefighter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and responds to emergencies via a pager system in his hometown.

The dad-of-one splits his time between running his own water sports business and dealing with incidents.He has been a qualified water sports instructor for over 20 years and is acutely aware of the importance of water safety.

Sadly, the emergency responder and his colleagues attend increased numbers of water-based emergencies every summer.While temperatures can be high on land, Piotr has warned that Scottish waters remain perilously cold all year round - presenting a serious threat to even the strongest of swimmers.He said: "Even for experienced and trained people, when things go wrong in the water it can be scary...

things can go wrong at any time to any of us. We are spoiled for choice with scenery in Scotland, but it's vital to remember that the water is always significantly colder than it feels on land."In recent years many more people have taken up activities like paddle boarding.