During the summer tourist season, thousands of locals and tourists flock to Da Nang's beaches to cool off every day.

Lifeguards regularly participate in training courses to improve skills and expertise in daily work. IN PHOTO: Staff of the Da Nang Lifeguard Team in a rescue training programme in 2023. Photo: NHAT HA

The Da Nang Lifeguard and Marine Tourism Order teams under the Management Board of the Son Tra Peninsula and Da Nang Tourist Beaches are regularly on duty, ensuring that people and tourists rest assured of having fun and swimming by the water.

Walking along popular beaches of My Khe, Man Thai, My An, Thanh Khe and Lien Chieu in the city, it is easy to see lifeguards wearing uniform in white and yellow colours regularly walking along the beaches and keeping a close eye on swimmers.

Aside from the rescue force on duty on sandy beaches, the Management Board of the Son Tra Peninsula and Da Nang Tourist Beaches assigns coracle rowers to be on duty in remote areas as a convenient way for observation and reminding swimmers not to swim out further than yellow buoys designated swimming areas.

Ms. Le Nguyen Hoang Thu, a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City, shared that whenever she travelled to Da Nang, her family spent a lot of time swimming and playing at local beaches. Seeing a team of lifeguards on duty regularly at beaches to guide and remind tourists to bathe in designated swimming areas makes them feel much more secure.

According to Mr. Nguyen Quoc Vinh, Head of the Rescue Team at Da Nang Tourist Beaches, his team has a total of 95 members, divided into 19 teams to perform the task of guiding tourists to swim and ensure safety for swimmers and beachgoers along the two coastal routes of Hoang Sa - Vo Nguyen Giap - Truong Sa, and Nguyen Tat Thanh.

Mr. Vinh said that lifeguards needed to undergo hours of training and cultivate significant skills to do the job right such as good health, skills to handle unexpected situations, and skills to save drowning people.

Additionally, lifeguards must also understand the water and sea areas, and have sharp observation skills to recognise the dangers of people and tourists when swimming, he added.

In the first quarter of 2024, the team successfully rescued 22 cases in danger.

An Australian rescue expert (2nd, right) trains rescue skills for members of the Da Nang Lifeguard Team in 2023. Photo: NHAT HA

Head of the Management Board of the Son Tra Peninsula and Da Nang Tourist Beaches Nguyen Duc Vu said that during the summer peak season, local beaches welcome a large number of residents and tourists. Therefore, the management board increased the rescue force to be on duty at 100% capacity at tourist beaches and to maintain patrols during duty hours from 4:30 am - 7:00 pm every day.

At the same time, lifeguards are assigned to work at nighttime bathing areas, a beach northern of the East Sea Park and the My An Beach, between 7:00 pm and 10:00 pm daily.

Besides, adequate lighting conditions are ensured whilst signs for danger warning are installed at the nighttime bathing areas. Also, such rescue vehicles as canoes, surfboards and buoys, are fully equipped.

Mr. Nguyen Duc Vu informed that, the Management Board coordinated with experts from the Australian Rescue Association to organise training sessions on enhancing professional skills for members of the rescue team every year.

In particular, the Da Nang International Lifeguard Competition 2024 is scheduled for April 27 at a beach in front of the East Sea Park. It is expected to provide a healthy playground for lifeguards from both domestic and international teams to interact, learn, and share experiences in search and rescue operations.

Up to now, about 10 domestic teams from Hoi An City (Quang Nam), Nha Trang, Thua Thien Hue, Ba Ria Vung Tau, Tuy Hoa (Phu Yen), Dong Hoi (Quang Binh) and Da Nang, plus 6 international teams from Australia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan (China), and Singapore, have registered to take part in the competition.

Each team will have 3-4 members. Participating teams will participate in such events as relay swimming (3x300m); rescue relay swimming (3x300m); capture the flag competition; rescue board relay race; and ironman (non-stop triathlon including 200m run, 300m freestyle swim, 300m paddleboard, 200m run).

Mr. Nguyen Quoc Vinh said that two teams of Da Nang will compete in this year’s competition. In addition to duty hours in the early morning and evening, members of the teams are actively practicing in preparation for the competition.

“This year's rescue competition will see many international teams from countries with beautiful and famous beaches. The rescue forces of these teams boast good physical condition, physical strength, skills as well as professionalism. The playground gives a good opportunity for Da Nang's rescue workers to exchange and learn from experience, thereby gradually improving their professional skills as well as professionalism in rescue operations at beaches," Mr. Vinh expressed.

Along with ensuring safety of beachgoers and swimmers, the management board is tasked with ensuring environmental hygiene, preventing tourists' stuff from being stolen at beaches, as well as assisting tourists in finding missing relatives and children.

The management board also recommends that people and tourists should not leave items unattended on the sand when going to the beach.

Reporting by NHAT HA - Translating by M.DUNG