During the peak tourist season, Da Nang’s beaches welcome a daily average of thousands of beach-goers.

A lifeguard is on his duty

The Management Board of the Son Tra Peninsula and Da Nang Tourism Beaches has carefully developed search and rescue plans in an effort to ensure the safety of swimmers.

Mr Nguyen Quoc Vinh, Head of the Da Nang Lifeguard Team under the Management Board, said the team has a total of 90 members.

In particular, the team’s Head and Deputy Head have been trained in Malaysia. Meanwhile, 15 other members have granted Drowning Prevention Certificates from the Australian Alliance for Safe Children (TASC).

During the peak tourist season, the lifesavers are on duty from 4.30am - 7.30am, and from 3.00pm - 7.00pm every day, even around the clock. This has helped to make the locals and visitors feel more secure whilst swimming off the beaches.

“In the first fourth month of this year, over 30 swimmers were saved from drowning. During the 5-day holiday break for the National Reunification Day (30 April) and International Labour Day (1 May), the team saved 12 swimmers, including a foreigner, from drowning”, Mr Vinh remarked.

Mr Nguyen Hong Van, the Head of the city’s Beach Tourism Security Management Team, said in addition to ensuring the safety of visitors, his team members are responsible for reminding visitors not to throw litter on beaches, as well as for keeping a keen eye on swimmers’ property left ashore.

One of the tasks that are done quite well by the team is to help visitors look for their missing children at beaches.

Mr Van added a daily average of between 30 and 40 children lose their parents during the peak tourist season. The main reason is thought to be that the parents did not pay close attention to their children.

After receiving reports about straying children or searching for lost children, the Management Board has informed on loudspeakers placed along the beaches. Besides, security team members have also contacted each other by handheld walkie talkies, ensuring that the search activities could be conducted in quick and exact manner.

Mr Tran Dai Nghia, Deputy Head of the Management Board, underscored many short-term training courses about English, Chinese and South Korean languages have been organised for lifesavers and traders at beaches.

He added warning signs in many foreign languages have been placed at beach in order to inform swimmers about dangerous areas.