Bali Lifeguard Education Program

A team of Mullaloo SLSC members attended the annual Bali Lifeguard Education Program. This year the program was split into two with a program at Jimbaran Bay and the other at the traditional Kuta beach. Following an intensive 6 day schedule a total of 70 participants gained their lifesaving awards in the format of Bronze, SRC and Resuscitation. This year also introduced a wider developmental focus on trainee Instructors that will facilitate a new focus on an Indonesia wide education package to remote beaches and hotels.

The team consisted of Sandy Clarke, Kevin Fettes, Carlo Tenaglia, Steven Nestor, Mark Hills, Mark Cleary, Laurie Campbell, and Annika Crockford. Traditionally the first day is at a wonderful 50m pool at Tirta Arum – somewhere in the lowlands near Ubud. This pristine aquatic hideaway is the first indicator regarding the depth of talent in the water which does range from those that can swim and those that just sink. The pool also offers a perfect place to introduce the board and tube rescue demonstration before we hit the beach. Once the timed swims are complete, we have 3 primary training groups- Bronze, SRC and the Resus. The intent of the program is to offer a complete syllabus keeping in mind that not every participant will be at the lifeguard competency. A number of these participants are employed at large resorts across the Island.

The following 5 days is at the beach constitutes a program that includes the standard rescues, spinal management, first aid, CPR, and the obligatory lifesaving lectures by the President of Indonesia Life Saving Made Suparka. Some of the preferred rescue techniques include the three person and spinal carry which will not be familiar to many new members. Also, just to make things interesting we also had candidates from Russia, Ukraine, and Ireland. Language barrier? No problem.

This is the 26th year that Mullaloo has represented at this training and played an integral role with the development of Indonesian Life Saving. The week also facilitates the sister club arrangement with information and skill sharing. The team is also very grateful for the support from the club with subsidies for accommodation, excess baggage, equipment, and T-shirts.

We will be looking forward to October 2024 so if you have an interest and would love the challenge, please contact Sandy Clarke or Mark Hills to discuss further.