Dasun Nayanajith has saved two boys from drowning

Dasun Nayanajith, lifeguard at Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort, Fujairah, is a two time winner of the UAE national lifeguard championship. He reveals why he enjoys the water so much, the time he saved two lives and why he can indulge his sweet tooth.

Dasun, what got you interested in becoming a lifeguard?

I’ve always had a passion for swimming probably because the town I hail from, Ambalangoda, in the Galle district of Southern Sri Lanka, is right on the coast and we – my friends and I - used to spend almost all our free time on the beach or in water. So when it came to choosing a career, lifeguard seemed a good option. Incidentally, a majority of Sri Lankan lifeguards in the UAE are from Amabalangoda.

You must have learnt swimming at a very young age…

Yes, I began learning professional swimming when I turned six. I was a quick learner because within a few months I was winning local swimming competitions. Now, I’m a qualified Royal Life Saving National Pool Life Guard. I’ve also completed several advanced courses for providing first aid and maintaining safety at the poolside.

What kind of training did you undergo?

There are several challenges that help us develop physical and mental skills needed to save lives in an aquatic environment. For instance, there’s a 100m obstacle swim course where we are have to swim freestyle under four immersed obstacles. Then there’s the simulated emergency response where we are tested for initiative, judgement, knowledge and abilities to perform individually and as a team. Then there are tests where we need to employ lifesaving techniques in a simulated emergency situation within a 2-minute time limit.

There’s Run Swim Run where we sprint from a point on the beach to a flag about 100m away, circle it, run to the sea, swim out to a buoy about 50m away, circle it, return to the beach, run to the flag and then race to the finish line.

What about first aid training?

There’s a lot to learn and we constantly update our knowledge in this field. We learn about anatomy because being a lifeguard is not just about saving a drowning person and taking him out of the water. We should know secondary first aid to resuscitate an unconscious person, make him expel water from his lungs, check for vital signs…

There are different levels in lifeguard training, right? Which level have you reached?

Yes, there are six levels – 1, 2 and 3 followed by bronze, silver and gold. I’d done level 2 while in Sri Lanka. I did several more courses at the hotel here including one by the RLSS - Royal Life Saving Society UK. I’m now placed in the gold level which means I’ve been in life saving and rescue for more than eight years.

Who do you think are most at risk in water?

I’d say kids, elderly and people with disabilities. Then there’re the show offs.

Have you saved any lives from drowning?

Once in Sri Lanka a few years ago. I was returning home one evening with a friend when we saw two boys, around 6 and 9, playing near a large water tank close to a field. Suddenly, we heard shrieks and turned to see the boys had fallen into the tank and were struggling desperately. The younger one had gone underwater and the older one was screaming for help.

What was your first instinct?

To alert my friend, then leap in and save the boys. I was able to save both. The younger boy had ingested a lot of water but I used techniques I’d learnt to help him expel water from his lungs before rushing them to a local clinic. I’m so happy I was able to save them from sure death.

What gives you greatest joy at the workplace?

Early intervention; preventing an issue from happening is what makes my work day fulfilling. In fact, a large part of our training involves anticipating potentially dangerous situations and making sure they do not occur.

Have you had to deal with such situations?

Yes, recently I saw a man with his two little daughters on his shoulders entering the deep end of the pool. I had a gut instinct that he had not anticipated the depth of the pool so I went over and gently informed him to be careful. The guest quickly realised his mistake and moved back. I was pleased I prevented a potentially dangerous incident from occurring.

What’s your typical day like?

If on the first shift, I do a pool check, monitor the water’s pH level, check the condition of the pool’s sides, ladders, inlet and outlet pipes. We look for any damage that could potentially injure guests.

If it’s the second shift, the first thing we do is get an update from the previous shift team of the kind of guests we have at the pool and their swimming abilities.

We then do a 10-20 scan – which means we scan our area for 10 seconds and calculate whether we can respond to any incident in our area of responsibility within 20 seconds.

Even good swimmers could be caught in dangerous situation so we always keep an eye on all people in the pool. We rotate our positions with other lifeguards every 30 minutes to ensure we do not become too complacent. It also helps us stay alert. Other jobs including keeping the poolside in good condition at all times – cleaning water spills and checking equipment for damage.

Staying fit is obviously crucial in your job. What is your fitness regimen like?

I train for at least three hours every day. There’s a lot of swimming, running and light weights. The good thing is because of the strict fitness schedule, I can indulge my sweet tooth.

Tell us a memorable life-saving moment in the UAE?

It wasn’t humans, but animals. Recently, I was swimming in the sea near Fujairah when I chanced upon a couple of turtles. They were trapped in a fishing net and were struggling. I knew they were sure to die if left unattended. I managed to cut the net and rescue them, and released them into the sea.

Tips to stay safe in water

If in the sea, remain in an area where you will be in the lifeguard’s line of vision.

1. Follow weather/beach signs strictly.
2. When attempting water sports like jet skiing, wear a life jacket, even if you are a good swimmer.
3. Always keep an eye on your kids in the pool, even if there is a lifeguard around.
4. Please follow the lifeguard’s instructions. We are only trying to make your pool side experience pleasurable.
5. Do not try to show off by doing tricks like staying submerged for long spells. This is a common antic that can put your life at great risk.
6. Never dive in shallow areas.
7. In case you notice someone who needs help in water, the first thing you should do is alert at least one other person before rushing in to the pool to rescue the drowning person.