Since summer began, safety pressure on scenic water areas has surged. Last weekend, I visited a popular local rafting spot to observe a live simulation test of an AI early warning system for drowning incidents. The entire process was unrehearsed—staff members spontaneously played the role of a "falling tourist" to test how the system would react to a sudden emergency.
At 2:30 in the afternoon, the sunlight on the water was dazzling, and visitors were scattered across the shallow area, splashing around. A "drowning person" suddenly began flailing at the boundary of the deep zone—movements were not dramatic, but the posture was clearly abnormal. Almost at the same moment, an AI camera on the shore captured the scene. The system automatically framed the target in the background and issued a voice alert. Standing in the monitoring room, I saw a red alarm pop up on the large screen, reading "Suspected drowning, coordinates locked." From detection to alarm, it took only about three or four seconds.
Immediately after, the broadcast system automatically announced a reminder for nearby lifeguards to check the area. Two patrolling lifeguards arrived on hearing the alert, jumped into the water with life rings, and dragged the "drowning person" back to shore. The entire response took about two minutes. The on-site manager explained that the AI system is not meant to replace lifeguards, but to assist them in spotting dangers more quickly—especially when crowds are large and sightlines are easily blocked, having an extra pair of "eyes" can buy precious time for the golden rescue window.
After the test, technicians pulled up the full footage and reviewed several details: for instance, even though the "drowning person's" head was underwater only briefly, the system still identified the abnormality through body posture and movement patterns. Also, despite glare from sunlight reflecting off the water, recognition accuracy was unaffected. However, the technician admitted that the system still needs improvement for complex scenarios such as swimmers wearing goggles or dark-colored swimsuits, and occasional missed detections remain—so manual patrols are still irreplaceable.
The most striking takeaway from this field test was that technological intervention in water rescue is not a cold replacement, but an additional line of defense on top of the existing safety system. Enjoying water in summer is pleasant, but safety is always the bottom line. The scenic area stated that the system is still being fine-tuned, and algorithms and camera placements will be adjusted based on real-world performance. When the main flood season arrives next month, they will conduct more rounds of random drills to ensure the system can be truly relied upon in critical moments.