<p>Mantra Surf Club and Mangalore Surf Club jointly organised a week-long beach lifeguard course at Tannirbavi beach ahead of the summer with the Indian Lifesaving and Lifesaving Sports Federation, an International Life Saving Federation member of India.</p>.<p>A total of eight surf club volunteers participated in the training and acquired surf rescue and lifeguard skills. The one-of-a-kind engagement with the local surf clubs is a first move towards the dream project of 'Surfers as Lifesavers', said Vijay Kumar Sah, Vice President ILLSF and a Drowning Prevention Leader.</p>.<p>This was the first international lifeguard certification programme organised in the region. He also emphasised the importance of educating the public at large with very valuable water safety messages and trained the surf volunteers personally with the 10 key safety messages developed by RNLI and donated banners to the clubs to take the message ahead.</p>.<p>The training for beach lifeguards included the duty of lifeguards, safe beach operations, patrolling, communications, rescue and revival skills with various situation-handling that built great confidence in the trainee candidates.<br />The surf clubs have decided to reach out to the local schools and institutions to spread the message on aquatic safety and survival skills through sports, surf and swimming lessons in order to support the drowning prevention mission.</p>.<p>Rammohan Paranjape from Mantra Surf Club and Dhruvin Jasrani from Mangalore Surf Club said that there is a need for proper lifeguard training and certification was the need of the hour in the region due to the rise in drowning incidents in the past one year as more and more people are flocking to beaches post-pandemic.</p>.<p>The programme has already created great interest amongst the surfing, swimming and fishermen community in the region as many have shown interest in taking part in the certification programme which will also provide alternate employment opportunities both within the country and outside. </p>
<p>Mantra Surf Club and Mangalore Surf Club jointly organised a week-long beach lifeguard course at Tannirbavi beach ahead of the summer with the Indian Lifesaving and Lifesaving Sports Federation, an International Life Saving Federation member of India.</p>.<p>A total of eight surf club volunteers participated in the training and acquired surf rescue and lifeguard skills. The one-of-a-kind engagement with the local surf clubs is a first move towards the dream project of 'Surfers as Lifesavers', said Vijay Kumar Sah, Vice President ILLSF and a Drowning Prevention Leader.</p>.<p>This was the first international lifeguard certification programme organised in the region. He also emphasised the importance of educating the public at large with very valuable water safety messages and trained the surf volunteers personally with the 10 key safety messages developed by RNLI and donated banners to the clubs to take the message ahead.</p>.<p>The training for beach lifeguards included the duty of lifeguards, safe beach operations, patrolling, communications, rescue and revival skills with various situation-handling that built great confidence in the trainee candidates.<br />The surf clubs have decided to reach out to the local schools and institutions to spread the message on aquatic safety and survival skills through sports, surf and swimming lessons in order to support the drowning prevention mission.</p>.<p>Rammohan Paranjape from Mantra Surf Club and Dhruvin Jasrani from Mangalore Surf Club said that there is a need for proper lifeguard training and certification was the need of the hour in the region due to the rise in drowning incidents in the past one year as more and more people are flocking to beaches post-pandemic.</p>.<p>The programme has already created great interest amongst the surfing, swimming and fishermen community in the region as many have shown interest in taking part in the certification programme which will also provide alternate employment opportunities both within the country and outside. </p>