International Life Saving Federation facts for kids
The International Life Saving Federation (ILS) is a worldwide group dedicated to keeping people safe in and around water. It works to prevent drowning, teach lifesaving skills, and promote lifesaving sports. The ILS brings together over 130 national organizations from around the world. These groups all share the goal of making water activities safer for everyone.
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| Abbreviation | ILS |
|---|---|
| Predecessor | Fédération Internationale de Sauvetage Aquatique (FIS) and World Life Saving (WLS). |
| Formation | 24 February 1993 at Brussels |
| Type | INGO |
| Legal status | Association internationale sans but lucrative, incorporated in Belgium |
| Purpose | Drowning prevention Promotion of lifesaving Lifesaving sport |
| Location | |
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Region served
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International |
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Membership
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National federations |
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President
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Graham Ford (2012–22) |
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Main organ
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board of directors. |
| Affiliations | SportAccord ARISF IWGA |
| Website | http://www.ilsf.org/ |
Contents
What is the International Life Saving Federation?
The ILS is a big organization that brings together over 130 national groups. These groups work to make water safer and prevent drownings. They also focus on water rescue, lifeguard training, and competitive lifesaving sports.
The main decision-making body of the ILS is called the General Assembly. Member organizations send representatives to this assembly. The General Assembly chooses a board of directors. This board manages the ILS's activities between the big meetings. The President leads the board.
The main office, called the General Secretariat, is in Leuven, Belgium. This is where all the administrative work happens. The ILS also has four regional offices. These are in Africa, the Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe. They help organize and manage activities in their specific regions.
Special committees and working groups within the ILS handle different areas. They manage, develop, and work on the technical parts of lifesaving. The ILS also works with other organizations, governments, and sponsors. This helps them promote lifesaving efforts all over the world.
Lifesaving Sport: Competing for Safety
Lifesaving sport, also known as competitive lifesaving, is a sport where athletes show off their lifesaving skills. It combines swimming, running, and rescue techniques.
What are the Lifesaving Sport Events?
Lifesaving sport includes many different events. Some events happen in a swimming pool, while others take place at the beach or in the ocean.
- Pool events test skills like swimming with a manikin (a rescue dummy) or overcoming obstacles in the water. Examples include the 200m Obstacle Swim and the 4x25m Manikin Relay.
- Ocean and beach events involve running on sand, swimming in the surf, and using rescue boards or surf skis. Examples include Beach Flags, Surf Race, and Board Race.
- There are also team events like the 4x50m Medley Relay and the Oceanman Relay.
Lifesaving World Championships: Rescue Series
The ILS organizes the World Life Saving Championships every two years. These championships are known as the 'Rescue' series, like Rescue 2008 or Rescue 2024.
These world championships include different competitions:
- National Teams World Championships: Countries compete against each other.
- Interclub Teams World Championships: Clubs from different countries compete.
- Masters World Championships: For older competitors.
- Surfboats World Championships: Races using special surf boats.
- IRB World Championships: Races using Inflatable Rescue Boats.
These championships are very large events. They attract between 3,000 and 5,000 athletes and officials. The competitions usually last for 12 to 14 days.
Other International Competitions
Lifesaving sport is also part of several other major international events:
- The World Games: Held every four years, right after the Summer Olympic Games.
- The Military World Games: Organized every four years by the International Military Sports Council (CISM).
- The World Masters Games: Also held every four years, for older athletes.
- The Commonwealth Lifesaving Championships: Organized every two years for countries in the Commonwealth.
Getting Certified in Lifesaving
The ILS offers special certificates to people who complete their lifesaving training. These certificates show that a person has met international standards for their skills. This means their training is recognized around the world.
Some of the certificates available include:
- Junior Lifesaver and Lifesaver
- Lifeguard for pools, inland open water, and surf
- Instructor certificates for various lifesaving levels
- Rescue Diver and Rescue Dive Master
- Rescue Boat Crew and Rescue Boat Driver
- Jet ski Operator
- Certificates for using an AED (a device that helps people with heart problems)
Global Recognition and Partnerships
Many important organizations recognize the ILS as the main international group for lifesaving sport. These include the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
The ILS is also a member of the Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations (ARISF). This group includes sports federations that are recognized by the IOC. The ILS also works with other groups, like the Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS). They have an agreement to recognize each other's rescue diver and instructor training programs.
Who are the Members of ILS?
The ILS has over 100 national federations as members. These are organizations from different countries that focus on lifesaving.
Some of the well-known member organizations include:
- Royal Life Saving Society Australia
- Surf Life Saving Australia
- Lifesaving Society (Canada)
- Royal Life Saving Society UK
- Royal National Lifeboat Institution (UK)
- United States Lifesaving Association (USA)
- YMCA of the US
See also
- Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques
- AIDA International
- List of world records in life saving
- World Life Saving Championships
- Lifeguard
