First ever surf life-saving club likely to come up at Tannirbavi beach

In an attempt to create awareness on life-saving techniques including Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), first aid and to provide tips on action to be taken after saving a victim, volunteers of Mangalore Surf Club, through Rashtreeya Life Saving Society India (based in Pune), gave a demonstration and hands-on experience to more than 40 students, who had arrived from different parts of the district, at Tannirbavi beach.

The children—right from 6 year olds to 18—watched in awe the various life-saving techniques such as Board Rescue (rescuing a person who is drowing in the sea with the help of a board), Tube Rescue (rescuing with the help of a tube), providing CPR and recovery.

Speaking to DH, Surf Life Saving India (RLSI) director Partha Varanashi said that on an average, 22,500 children die in India by drowning. “Educating children/students on life-saving techniques would save not only precious lives of children from drowing, but also they can rescue others, in case need arises,” he opined.

Citing an example, he said that his team had trained about 60 students in Udupi, Murudeshwar and Karwar last year and these trained students were successful in rescuing seven persons from drowning.

Surf Life Saving/Nippers is about learning new skills, gaining confidence and having fun in a safe beach environment. For Nippers, the beach is the classroom. They gain confidence by passing the ‘tests’ of swimming, board paddling, beach sprinting, duck-diving on to an incoming wave, spotting a rip, having fun with new friends and discovering things about themselves. The skills gained at SLS/Nippers will stick to the soul like sand from the beach and be carried for life, he added.

Niroop G R, the chief trainer/instructor, who has been trained under Surf Life Saving Club of Coojee (Sydney, Australia) director Doug Hawkins, said that Sunday’s demo at Tannirbavi comprised ‘Hoopes’ (activity on how to tackle waves) and ‘Flags’ (running at a target (victim) who is drowning) among others.

Partha said that plans are on the anvil to set up a first-ever Surf Life Saving Club in India at Tannirbavi affiliated to International Life Saving Society through Rashtreya Life Saving Society and support from Coogee Minows Club from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Discussions are on with Deputy Commissioner Dr K G Jagadeesha in this regard, he added.

”We are hoping to get assistance from the district administration to build India’s first Surf Life Saving Club so that these types of trainings happen on a weekly basis to train all the local youth in beach safety and rescue,” he informed.

In fact, Sunday’s demo was part of the third edition of Surf Life Saving (SLS)/Nippers programme.
The first edition was held in 2013 with the help from Australia-India Council where 35 students were trained and the 2nd edition was held in 2015 with the funding from Coogee Minows Club from Sydney.