Local Tour company, Secret Paradise Maldives has announced that 6 members of their local guiding team have been awarded Life Guard Level 3 Certification, following completion of the course involving 300 swimming hours, 8 practical examinations, an assignment and written examination.
Co-Founder, Ruth Franklin states “All our guides hold an Emergency First Response certificate and in a destination where many activities are based on the water and where all our guests are likely to travel at some point on the ocean it seemed logical for our team to be qualified lifeguards. As we work with many international operators it was important that the qualification was internationally recognized and this is where we reached out to Mohamed Shizleen, Course Director at the Maldives Swimming & Life Saving Skills Training School.
Education and training are the foundation of water safety. Through structured in-water interaction and training, our guide team have developed water-positive attitudes and skills. Skills which may ultimately save lives or avert what may be life threatening situations. I congratulate all participants for their individual performances, they have attained a skill set that they should be very proud of and one that is particularly important within the Maldives, where so many opportunities for employment as well as recreational time are water-based.”
Tourism has seen an increase in demand for experiential travel opportunities and Secret Paradise Maldives have recognised that. Not only do they have a responsibility to provide their guests with memorable local experiences, and they also have a responsibility for their health and safety. As a business, they have standard operating practices in place that cover health and safety, product risk assessments for all tours and an annual audit inspection of the guesthouses with whom they partner. Guests are provided with safety briefings before boarding any vessel and their guides ensure life jackets are made available.
