The Lifesaving Association of Sri Lanka has produced a report on their activities during 2005 and report that their lifeguards/lifesavers have made 3,800 recorded rescues since their formation in 1947.

They had a large turnout for the 9th Annual Junior Lifesavers Training Camp at Anuradhapura in June with participation by Schools, the Police etc. from across the island. The Association ran a very successful National Life Saving Championships in October.

The Lifesaving Association of Sri Lanka has produced a report on their activities during 2005 and report that their lifeguards/lifesavers have made 3,800 recorded rescues since their formation in 1947.

They had a large turnout for the 9th Annual Junior Lifesavers Training Camp at Anuradhapura in June with participation by Schools, the Police etc. from across the island. The Association ran a very successful National Life Saving Championships in October.

Piyadasa Silva, the Secretary of the Association, has also reported on some outstanding rescues by lifeguards during the Tsunami of 26th December 2004. He reports that nearly 500 persons were rescued by “active lifesavers” from the Kinross Club at Wellawatte and the Mount Lavinia Club.

All the books, furniture, equipment, lifeguard clothing etc. were washed out to sea from the Headquarters. The building itself was also damaged (see picture). Members of the German Life Saving Federation DLRG, who went to Sri Lanka to assist post tsunami work, have assisted the Association in rebuilding its Headquarters.

At the day of the Tsunami a number of lifeguards were assembled at the Wattala Life Saving Club waiting to receive Piyadasa when they were struck by 12 foot high waves. A nearby home for the disabled was also hit by the very large waves. As some of the disabled persons were unable to get out of the building the lifeguards rescued them.

At Galle a train was derailed and “uprooted” by the waves near to the home of Kassun Sanjaya, a 19 year old lifesaver, who despite having his left arm broken by the waves, he managed to rescue three people from the train.

Other persons were saved by lifesavers training on the beach at the time the Tsunami wave struck. At Matara the local Chief Lifesaving Instructor was conducting his usual lifesaving classes at a place called Polhena when the waves struck. The Instructor and his team were “washed away up to 1 km” but despite this returned to save over 25 lives.

It is reported that trained lifesavers in the Matara area saved nearly 300 people. It is also reported that at Ambalangoda nearly 100 lives were saved by trained lifesavers.

The Japanese Life Saving organisation donated a number of lifeguard uniforms to Sri Lanka and these have been distributed to all lifeguards who have completed 3 years of voluntary lifeguard duties.