What the flags on the beaches mean

On the Island of Elba, in addition to the many free beaches, there are also many equipped beaches with beach establishments and blue points with lifeguard service.

On the equipped beaches, the signal flags are effectively one of the tools used by the lifeguard, and it is always important to consider them. In Italy, there are two flags used by lifeguards: the yellow one and the red one.

According to the [page id="390"]provisions of the beach safety ordinance of the Harbor Master's Officeopening of beach establishments (in Tuscany from June 15 to September 15), the lifeguard service must be operational from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM. From June 1 to 14 and from September 16 to September 30, lifeguard services must still be operational on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

Outside the minimum opening period, unsafe bathing activity, due to the lack of lifeguard service, is indicated with a sign and the red flag.

During the lunch break, from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM, considering the lower number of bathers, a sectoral surveillance service is carried out. This particular condition is signaled by raising the yellow flag.

Before 9:00 AM and after 7:00 PM, as the beach is under total lack of surveillance, both the yellow and red flags are simultaneously raised.

The red flag should be understood as a warning of a dangerous bathing condition due to unpredictable and temporary factors: pollution, adverse weather and sea conditions.

Useful numbers

European emergency number (NUE) 112
Sea emergency 1530