ISLA Lifeguards Travel to Nicaragua to Minimize Drowning

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. - June 10, 2013 - PRLog -- Founded in 2008, ISLA’s mission is to prevent drowning worldwide by building a culture of water safety. Comprised entirely of volunteers; the organization provides training, medical supplies, disaster relief, and emergency personnel to communities in need around the world.

As part of an initiative to minimize deaths and injuries caused by drowning, ISLA taught lifesaving techniques, provided lifesaving equipment, and patrolled the beaches alongside the Nicaraguan Red Cross/Red Crescent, from March 24 through April 1.

The ISLA 2013 Semana Santa Nicaragua Project marked the organization’s fifth year working alongside the Nicaraguan Red Cross to promote aquatic safety and assist local lifeguards during the holiday week, and the progress since 2008 has been unprecedented.  The 2013 Nicaraguan Red Cross Semana Santa Operation included the mobilization of ISLA trained lifeguards to beaches all over the country, encouraging those lifeguard leaders to teach the local Red Cross volunteers the importance of aquatic safety and some basic lifeguard techniques.

“It was incredible for the ISLA team to take a backseat supporting role in this project and watch the coordination of the Nicaraguan Red Cross as they ensured every beach had trained lifeguards,” said ISLA's International Relations Manager, Will Koon. "Our next step is conduct a regional lifeguard training including other Central American nations."

The ISLA volunteer team was composed of Mike Hudson, Nick Mitchell, Sean Sonnenberg, and Russell Hennessy from Corolla Ocean Rescue (http://www.corollaoceanrescue.com/) in North Carolina, and Shane Knowles and William Koon from Huntington State Beach in California.

Future projects for ISLA in the Nicaragua are continuous efforts to reduce the drowning rates. To learn more about ISLA, please visit the website at http://www.islasurf.org or visit our Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/ISLAsurf.