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A DETERMINED bid is being made in the kingdom to cut down the number of swimming fatalities in the sea and pools and end the misery faced by endless numbers of heartbroken families, reports Kristian Harrison and Mai Al Khatib-Camille.
Each year children and adults drown during the summer months and even as the weather starts to cool. As a result, Royal Life Saving Bahrain (RLSB) has launched a water safety strategy to educate and develop a more informed and safety conscious swimming and water recreation culture.
The plan was recently unveiled at a press conference at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay under the patronage of Shaikh Isa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, President of Royal Life Saving Bahrain and chairman of the board of trustees of the Isa bin Salman Educational and Charity Fund.
The aim is clear:
Reducing water-related deaths and injuries
Encourage volunteers to get involved
Enhance the appeal of water related tourism
Foster respect for coastlines and marine habitats.
The RLSB, a charity organisation, which was launched in October last year, called on local and international experts, including the Bahrain Tourism Exhibition Authority (BTEA), the Coast Guards, Civil Defence, the Higher Education Council, Ministry of Youth and Sport Affairs, the Drowning Prevention Committee, as well as various hotels and waterparks, to advance the campaign.
Its founder Shaikha Nayla bint Hamad bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, travelled extensively to Australia, the UK and other countries to work out how best to introduce life-saving training and best practice to Bahrain.
Sameera Al Bitar, RLSB’s skills development executive, said: “Over the past few years, there have been far too many people drowning in Bahrain. This charity was set up as a way of dealing with the issue.
“We’re making sure all the hotels, for example, have their lifeguards trained to a specific high standard.”
During the launch event, Sameera and the charity’s safety services executive Sam Rahman conducted a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) demonstration on adult and baby dummies to showcase the lifesaving skills that were needed. CPR is a technique useful in many emergencies, including heart attacks or near drowning, in which someone’s breathing or heartbeat has stopped.
RLSB has formulated five strategies to achieve its mission such as including more swimming courses on the island, providing safer locations, teaching first aid, developing lifeguards and people with lifesaving skills and improving boating safety standards.
The organisation is working closely with the BTEA and the Bahrain Drowning Prevention Committee to fine-tune new safety guidelines for all hotels, water parks, and tourist establishments with swimming pools or areas with access to a beach.
In recent months, there have been several tragic incidents at beaches and private pools. Indian Akhil Chalippatt, 34, drowned at Al Jazair Beach alongside a Bahraini man, who was not identified. Indian Renuka Karkare, 56, drowned in Budaiya beach when a boat she was in with friends overturned.
During the summer there were renewed calls for increased safety measures to be taken at swimming locations. Mohammed Hameed, 25, from India, was found dead at a private swimming pool in Salhiya. Four-year-old Sayed Mujtabi Sayed Jalal drowned at a private swimming pool in Malkiya and seven-year-old Saleh Al Thawadi drowned at a pool in Budaiya.
RLSB recently staged its first International Life Saving Federation (ILS)-recognised Pool Lifeguard Course at Wahooo! Waterpark located in City Centre Bahrain. Ten lifeguards from hotels in the kingdom, in addition to swimming instructors and water park staff attended a four-day training course conducted by Sam.
Sam has been a trainer for the past 13 years in the UK and spent five years working at Wahooo! followed by posts at different hotels. He moved to Bahrain permanently two years ago and is excited about being involved in the campaign. He said: “My whole career has been about lifesaving as I started as a lifeguard at 16.
“When I found out about Royal Life Saving Bahrain I loved what they were trying to do. We work within the ILS, the world authority for drowning prevention, lifesaving and lifesaving sport.
“We’re the first country in the region to have our own water safety strategy and all lifeguarding qualifications made available in Bahrain through us will be recognised internationally by the ILS.
“One of the biggest issues we face is a lack of foundation swimming skills and awareness of water safety, which is a surprise for such a small island.
“That’s one of our main target areas. We’re working on swimming pool guidelines too. Most hotel pools are fairly safe, but pools in villas and compounds may prove a challenge. We’re hoping to bring in laws to ensure children are accompanied by an adult.”
At the end of the training course, all participants received a Pool Lifeguard Certificate valid for one year; and they will then be required to attend an updated course to renew their certification enabling them to continue working as lifeguards in Bahrain.
Sam added: “A lot of the people training with us already have training, but often lifeguards are trained to different standards.
“There’s never been a consistent standard, some did their qualifications 10 years ago and some never even had an official license.
“BTEA has said that for all hotels to have their CR renewed, they have to have lifeguards trained through us. That’s official recognition and the hotels have been great with us. They immediately booked their lifeguards for training.
“The ultimate aim is for every lifeguard to eventually be certified by us.
“Also, Bahrain’s lifesaving services require volunteers and employees to ensure the ongoing safety of the beaches, pools and other water locations.
“We look forward to more collaboration with local institutes, especially the Ministry of Youth & Sport Affairs, to engage young Bahrainis and encourage them to undergo training courses as volunteers, as well as to pursue a professional career in lifesaving.”
The organisation will be hosting internationally-recognised beach lifeguard training courses and other sessions.
Those interested in participating should email RLSB at info@rlsbahrain.org or contact 36615661.
