Move over David Hasselhoff, for the city of Mumbai now has its own lifegaurds who have international qualification in lifesaving after having undergone rigorous training for the same. However, the city might have to wait for some more time to have female lifeguards as the team consists of only men.

A team of daredevils who form an emergency response and rescue team have always been in place and have till now saved hundreds of lives but now they have been provided with upgraded skills to meet any kind of eventuality.

In a meet-the-press event held yesterday, the life guards displayed their newly acquired swift life saving skills at the H2O water sports complex, Girgaum Chowpatty.

A certificate of life saving techniques for beach life guards (SLST) which is equivalent to beach lifeguard status given by the Surf Life Saving Association of Australia (an international benchmark for beach lifeguards) was conferred on each team member after the training was completed.

The certificates were handed out by National Institute of Water Sports which is a government body and is the only of its kind in India.

Mr. Rajiv Somani, chairman and managing director, Drishti Adventure Sports Private Limited, said that the life guards undertook a rigorous schedule where their skills and endurance were put to test. "We felt that it was necessary to upgrade their basic skills to respond to emergency situations."

The lifeguards are trained in first aid which is rendered in case of emergency. They have also been given training for use of rescue tube, fins and surf boards. Mr. Somani added that the team can operate during heavy tides and currents which occur during monsoons.

He expressed confidence in the team while congratulating them on being conferred the certificates.