World Drowning Prevention Day is observed every July 25 a date promoted by the United Nations to raise awareness about a public health issue that continues to cause thousands of deaths each year.
Drownings can occur in swimming pools, at beaches, and in rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water. In many cases, they happen quickly and silently, without calls for help or obvious movements. Therefore, prevention, supervision, and the capacity to react are fundamental.
Drowning remains a global problem.
According to the World Health Organization, more than 300,000 people died from drowning in 2021. Although the global mortality rate has decreased over the last few decades, children and young people remain among the most vulnerable groups.
Drowning is the fourth leading cause of death among children aged 1 to 4 and the third among children and adolescents aged 5 to 14.
Furthermore, approximately 92% of drowning deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, where access to water safety training, supervision, and prevention resources may be more limited.
The situation in Spain also warrants attention. The National Drowning Report, prepared by the Royal Spanish Lifesaving and First Aid Federation, recorded 472 unintentional drowning deaths in 2025.
Another 217 deaths were recorded during the first half of 2026, demonstrating the need to continue strengthening prevention measures and raising public awareness.
View the full report here:
https://rfess.es/es/una-decada-en-rojo-2025-consolida-la-crisis-de-ahogamientos-en-espana/
Prevention begins before entering the water.
There is no single measure capable of preventing all water-related accidents. Prevention must be built through various layers of security that complement one another.
Active supervision
When children are near water, there must always be a responsible adult to supervise them.
This supervision must be direct, constant, and free of distractions. Checking a phone, holding a conversation, or stepping away for a few minutes can be enough for a situation to change.
Armbands, floaties, and other aids do not replace adult supervision.
Swimming and water safety training
Learning to swim at an early age helps reduce risks, but it is also important to acquire knowledge about safety, recognize dangerous situations, and know how to act in an emergency.
Training in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation can also make a difference while emergency services are on their way.
The fundamental role of the lifeguard
Lifeguards are an essential part of safety at any aquatic facility.
Their experience and training enable them to identify risky behaviors, prevent accidents, and act quickly in an emergency.
However, they must monitor large areas, simultaneously manage numerous users, and respond to situations that can evolve in a matter of seconds. Therefore, it is essential that they have the necessary resources, protocols, and tools to carry out their work.
Technology as an additional layer of prevention
Technology can help enhance pool safety by providing additional information and facilitating the early detection of certain situations.
Under no circumstances does it replace the lifeguard, adult supervision, or emergency protocols. Its function is to complement these measures.
Solutions such as nagiGuard make it possible to locate users within the pool and generate alerts when specific durations of time spent underwater or potential high-risk behaviors are detected.
When an alert is triggered, the system sends a notification to monitoring devices and can directly alert the lifeguard via a vibrating wristband.
This additional information helps quickly direct attention to a specific area of the pool, especially in situations where every second can be decisive.
Technology, prevention, and expert knowledge
At nagi, we believe that water safety must be approached through collaboration among facilities, professionals, families, institutions, and technology companies.
To this end, we work alongside the Royal Spanish Lifesaving and Lifeguarding Federation, combining technology, prevention, and specialized knowledge to continue fostering safer aquatic environments.
The goal is not to replace the lifeguard’s gaze, but to complement it and provide an additional layer of support.
Because not all risks in the water make noise.
And when every second counts, anticipating can make the difference.
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