Da Nang: Strengthening drowning prevention measures for children during the summer

The start of summer also marks an increase in the risk of drowning accidents among children. In response to this situation, Da Nang City is stepping up its efforts to raise awareness and improve drowning prevention skills for children.

Báo Đại Đoàn Kết•26/05/2026

Students from Kim Dong Primary School in Tam Ky ward are instructed on drowning prevention skills. Photo: TT.

Since the beginning of 2026, numerous drowning incidents involving children have occurred in Da Nang City. At the end of March 2026, two ninth-grade female students died while crossing a stream in Tien Phuoc commune. Then, on April 23rd, two more ninth-grade male students in Hiep Duc commune died while swimming in the Tranh River.

These drowning incidents mostly stem from children going swimming in rivers and the sea on their own, without adult supervision and lacking adequate water safety skills. In many cases, when faced with an emergency, they easily panic, leading to tragic consequences.

In response to this situation, local authorities, the education sector, and parents have intensified their efforts to implement various activities to raise awareness and provide guidance on drowning prevention skills for children.

The Da Nang City Police force instructs children on drowning prevention skills during the summer. Photo: Da Nang Police.

Recently, the Fire Prevention and Rescue Team of Area 3, Da Nang City Police, in coordination with 7 schools in Ngu Hanh Son ward, organized a program to raise awareness about drowning prevention skills for more than 1,200 officials, teachers, and students.

During the program, students are guided to identify areas with potential safety risks such as rivers, lakes, canals, or water pits at construction sites; they are also equipped with skills to handle situations when encountering victims, how to call for help, and principles of self-protection when participating in water activities.

Many real-life scenarios are incorporated into the educational content, making it easier for students to understand and improving their reflexes and problem-solving skills when incidents occur.

Da Nang City Police instruct students on how to wear life jackets. Photo: Da Nang Police.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh, a parent whose child is in 5th grade at Kim Dong Primary School in Tam Ky ward, said that every time she reads news about child drowning incidents, she can't help but worry.

According to Ms. Anh, during the summer, children often gather with friends to play, making it difficult for families to supervise them all day. Therefore, she enrolled her children in swimming lessons and equipped them with additional skills to handle situations in the water. What worries her most is that many children only know the basics of swimming but are overconfident and complacent when in the water.

Mr. Tran Phuoc Hung, Deputy Head of the Fire Prevention and Rescue Team Area 1, Da Nang City Police, believes that the worrying issue now is not that children are unaware of the dangers, but rather their complacency.

Students of Kim Dong School in Tam Ky ward are equipped with skills to rescue people from drowning. Photo: CĐ.

“Many children know how to swim but don't know how to handle cramps or large waves. In some cases, they instinctively jump in to save a friend in distress, leading to a chain reaction of drownings. Therefore, we focus on teaching reaction and escape skills to minimize tragic incidents,” Mr. Hung said.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Xuan Hoa, Principal of Kim Dong Primary School in Tam Ky Ward, said that the school always pays special attention to disseminating information and providing guidance on drowning prevention skills, especially during the summer.

According to Ms. Hoa, the school regularly incorporates drowning prevention content into flag-raising ceremonies and extracurricular activities; and also coordinates with relevant authorities to guide students on water safety skills.

Teachers also reinforced reminders to students not to go swimming in rivers, streams, ponds, or lakes without adult supervision. At the same time, they intensified efforts to raise awareness among parents about their responsibility in supervising their children during the summer break.

Officials from Tam Ky ward instruct students on swimming skills. Photo: TT.

Faced with the risk of drowning accidents among children, the Da Nang City People's Committee has issued a plan to implement the "Month of Action for Children" in 2026, focusing on promoting activities to protect children from the risk of accidents and injuries during the summer.

Accordingly, departments, agencies, and localities are required to strengthen the dissemination of information, provide training on legal knowledge, injury prevention skills, swimming lessons, and guidance on online safety skills for children.

Authorities provide guidance on how to administer first aid to someone who has drowned. Photo: TT.

The Da Nang Department of Education and Training has been tasked with reviewing school safety conditions and continuing to implement the "Safe Swimming" program for students; coordinating with families, the Da Nang Youth Union, and relevant units to manage and care for children during the summer break.

Chi Dai - Tan Thanh

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/da-nang-tang-cuong-phong-chong-duoi-nuoc-cho-tre-dip-he.html