14-06-2010
Trade Unions Influence Innovation in EU
Professional and Managerial Staff taking responsibility to develop competences and attitudes for innovation...

16-04-2010
Innovation for the Oil industry in Lithuania
TDI delivered 3 days of innovation seminars on behalf of ETKC to ORLEN oil refinery managers in Lithuania this week...

28-02-2010
The first World Class Customer Service Guides in UK
Gaynor Lewis, Operations Director at the ILM, presented certificates for the World Class Service Guide development programme...

23-02-2010
The first TICA Innovator Award in The Gambia!
Abubakar Coker, pool attendant at Golden Beach Hotel, was presented with his Innovator Award by Ebrima Bah today ...

22-02-2010
Official Tourist Guides in The Gambia
Tourist Guides received their ILM Innovation Guide development programme certificates today...

Lifeguards focus on Tourism in The Gambia

"The prevention of loss of life in the sea"

This Innovation Masterclass was offered by TDI International as part of the "Inspiration for Innovation in The Gambia" (IFIG) project to develop services for tourists.

The lifeguards provide a very valuable service to tourists and local people in The Gambia. The beautiful wide sandy beaches are a major part of the attraction for tourists and the Atlantic Ocean is warm to swim in here. The Atlantic can, however, provide a potential source of danger on occasion so life guards provide a valuable advisory service to prevent the loss of life.

Lifeguards are either employed by hotels or are part of the Red Dolphin lifeguard organisation as volunteers. Lifeguards in The Gambia are very dedicated and enthusiastic and their track record for the prevention of loss of life is impressive.

The aim of this one day course was to assist the leaders in each lifeguard location to give inspiration to their team to discover and implement new ideas to improve all aspects of the service. This day focused on improving the image of the whole service and the prevention of loss of life in the sea through information and education.

The contents of the day were:
1 Image - Uniform, recognition and status, code of conduct & discipline
2 Equipment - resources for rescue from the beach and international flags system
3 Personal - Skills, Knowledge and Training
4 Prevention - Educating the public

Val started the Beach Watch project in The Gambia with her husband 11 years ago but it was sadly eventually abandoned through lack of financial support. It was wonderful to have her with us for the day and to see her working with the executive team as they filtered ideas from participants to develop a strategic plan for Lifeguarding the beaches in The Gambia. Several of the participants had been introduced to lifesaving by Val and it was very rewarding for her to see her legacy in the dedication of these lifeguards to whom their country owe so much.

The day ended with a review of the results of Strategic Planning and the Action plan devised by members of the Masterclass.

The three key outcomes of the day were:
1 To implement the Action Plan as soon as possible
2 To use TICA to discover and implement new ideas to develop the lifeguard service.
3 Following the kind donation of a Torpedo Buoy by the Chairman of the Gosport and Fareham Inshore Rescue Srvice (GAFIRS) the Lifeguards in The Gambia will take up the kind offer of support and develop a twinning association between GAFIRS and Gambian Lifeguards. For more information go to www.gafirs.org.uk

Gambian Lifeguards wish to say a big THANK YOU to Steve Hobbs, Chairman of GAFIRS for the kind donation of the Torpedo Buoy.

Please remember whereever you find them Lifeguards provide:

"THE FASTEST RAPID REACTION RESCUE SERVICE IN THE WORLD"

- SECONDS COUNT -