'Turning' tires into warning signs and lifebuoys

“Observation” tires

For many weeks now, people in the communes of Hien Son, Tru Son, Dang Son, Thinh Son (Do Luong)... have been very impressed with the warning signs.traffic safetyInvented by local youth union members from motorbike tires.

The sign is made of round corrugated iron sheets, painted with a blue background, fixed to the tire, with red warning letters on it with many contents such as slow down, observe, reduce speed, accident prone areas, beware of danger...

Tire model observed by Do Luong district TV station. Photo: CSCC

Mr. Nguyen Tat Hung - Officer of Do Luong District Youth Union said: Recently, many commune and town Youth Unions in the district have created public hand sanitizer sinks, playgrounds for children, emergency tires, etc.

Up to now, with the creativity and ingenuity of the union members and young people, old tires have been "transformed", combined with many recycled materials collected to create danger warning signs, traffic observation signs, and visual and vivid propaganda posters in preventing, combating, and limiting traffic accidents on main roads, intersections, and crossroads that pose many dangers to human life. For example, the Hien Son Commune Union has hung 6 traffic safety warning signs on the roads intersecting with N5 Road.

Eye-catching traffic signs made of tires. Photo: CSCC

Tire observation signs are not only unique but also durable, eye-catching in color, and cost-effective. “From the pilot implementation in 3 communes with 21 signs, the “Tire Observation” model is now being deployed at many Youth Union bases in the area with the desire to contribute to raising awareness among young people and the community when participating in traffic, limiting tragic traffic accidents,” said Mr. Nguyen Tat Hung.

Along with drawing and painting traffic safety propaganda slogans, the "Tire Observation" model has been responded to, replicated by Youth Union bases and received recognition from the community.

“Rescue” tires

To contribute to reducing drowning accidents and injuries in children, recently, especially during the peak of the "Summer Volunteer" Campaign, many Youth Union organizations in the province have deployed a number of good models and effective methods to prevent and combat drowning, including the "Rescue Tire" model.

Typically, Lang Thanh Commune Youth Union (Yen Thanh) had the initiative to use old motorbike tires and chains to make life buoys on the Dao River system - flowing from Do Luong district down to Yen Thanh, Dien Chau, Quynh Luu districts, tens of kilometers long.

The buoy is made from old motorbike tires and chains, one end tied to a pole firmly planted on the bank, the other end dropped into the river. Photo: Xuan Hoang

Since the State invested in upgrading and pouring concrete on the two inner roofs of the riverbank, there have been many unfortunate drowning incidents on this river system. The cause is believed to be the slippery concrete banks with no place to hold on.

From that reality, the Lang Thanh Commune Youth Union coordinated with a motorbike repairman in Lang Nghe hamlet to use old motorbike tires and chains to make sturdy life buoys.

Each buoy is made up of 6 tires, nearly 10m long, painted white, and dropped on both sides of the Dao River at key points so that if someone unfortunately falls into the river, they can hold on to the buoy to get to shore easily.

Swimming floats made from tires and plastic bottles were placed by the Youth Union members in Do Luong and Quynh Luu districts in key locations along with drowning warning signs. Photo: CSCC

Or in Quynh Luu district, the District Youth Union also selected a number of Youth Union bases to implement this model, typically the Quynh Hau Commune Youth Union. Currently, this commune Youth Union has stretched 10 tire strings across the water canals where many people often go to bathe during hot summer days in the commune. Accordingly, used bicycle and motorbike tires and inner tubes are tied together by the Youth Union members, tied to milestones along the canal banks to help people have a place to hold on to get to the shore, overcoming the situation of steep, slippery canal banks and the distance between the steps going up and down.

In addition, the Commune Youth Union also directed the Youth Union to use plastic bottles wrapped around tires to make mobile buoys, tied to the bridge railing, and used in emergency situations. Following Quynh Hau commune, on June 17, 2021, Quynh Luong Commune Youth Union also deployed the "Rescue Tire" project to prevent drowning at Quy Linh Temple dike to reduce the risk of drowning in children, combined with propaganda work to raise vigilance among parents and children; do not let children play in dangerous areas, do not let children bathe without adults and equip them with good skills to prevent drowning.

The lifebuoy to prevent drowning is a unique creation of the grassroots Youth Union organizations in the "Summer Volunteer" Campaign in 2021. Photo: CSCC

Quynh Luu District Youth Union Secretary Dang Ngoc Minh said: When seeing some commune Youth Unions such as Quynh Hau and Quynh Luong effectively implementing this model, some grassroots Youth Unions in the whole district also began to replicate this model. In the "Summer Volunteer" Campaign, the District Youth Union also oriented the grassroots to implement creative models, including the model of recycling tires into life buoys to limit drowning during the summer.

In Do Luong district, in addition to the "Observation Tire" model for traffic safety warning, the District Youth Union also deployed many "Rescue Tire" models, typically the Yen Son, Quang Son, and Thai Son Commune Youth Unions. Currently, the whole district has deployed 17 pilot tire chains in important canals in the area. In particular, there is a great contribution of the Youth Union of the school sector in activities in residential areas.

Lifebuoys to prevent children from drowning. Photo: CSCC

In addition to the "Rescue Tire" model, Youth Union organizations across the province have also organized timely inspections and reviews of areas where drowning accidents often occur or are at risk of drowning accidents to continue to install more drowning warning signs; and increase the amount of propaganda on the grassroots loudspeaker system.

At the same time, direct the Youth Union to visit each household to sign a commitment not to bathe in dangerous places; ensure safety for children, contribute to limiting and reducing the situation of drowning in children during the summer.