ENAK is the leader of lifeguard training in Greece, one of the oldest lifeguard academies with the largest job search network for all graduates.
ENAK was founded in 1996 as the Top Academy of Lifeguard Training by Mr. Nikos Giovanidis. It has been many years since a group of “swimmers” or “lovers of the sea” began to worry about the huge issue of the lack of lifeguard infrastructure in our country.
We soon found out lack of education that existed in our country. But fortunately, as in any ambitious youth project, our concern about a lack of “life-saving education” – let me use the term – has led us to the right path after much effort! The anxious “teacher” was found and it is true that he educated us well about the dangers of the sea. So, timidly at first, the first lifeguards appeared on the beaches of Attica. And I say timid, because these Lifeguards were minimal for the real needs of a country with so many beaches!
Over time, a few lifeguards remained active.
Unfortunately, although drownings in Greece were increasing, as were the areas that needed supervision, there were no lifeguard academies recognized by the Ministry of Shipping
“Sea adventures” were no longer limited to organized beaches, swimming pools and hotel units! The trend with water slides, the marine amusement parks, came to Greece as well. At the same time, came the various adventurous sea activities and the various races in the liquid element!
Our love for the sea, the needs of our country, but also the experience we gained as professional lifeguards in Greece were the driving forces! They pushed us to take the initiative – under the auspices of the state, of course – and to create a complete lifeguard school.
So in 1996 we founded S.L.S. HELLAS – School Lifeguards Swimmers Hellas. Later, it was renamed to ENAK Academy of Lifesaving Training –Hellenic Lifesaving Academy. ENAK is one of the oldest lifeguard schools in Greece. From the beginning, the school was recognized by the then YEN and the Central Port Authority of Piraeus and theGreek Coast Guard.
People in Greece got to know lifeguard and lifeguards, not on the beaches, but through the successful American serial Baywatch.This show literally at that time secured a large audience and acceptance from the television audience. Who does not remember CJ – Pamela Anderson and Mitch Bucannon – David Hasselhoff and their adventures on the American coast of Los Angeles !!!
I can not know how decisive the serial played in the Greek reality. We started with an appetite and a vision for the new. We wanted to “open” a new path for the lifeguard safety of swimmers in every activity inside the liquid element. In this path that opened before us, with ally faith for our purpose, guided by the love of action, and equipped with companionship and a disposition for conquest, we managed to across our message!
The beginning had been made and we gained strength for the continuation.Of course, immediately after the confirmation, came the need for quality certification, ours and ENAK. So we trained even more by going to big lifeguard centers abroad. So, we managed to give our best for this purpose.
The “lifeguard company” grew up with friends who wanted to contribute and participate. The truth is that we faced many problems, most notably the bureaucracy of state. But our faith and the dynamics of the growing “company”, gave us enormous courage and of course the justification did not take long to come.
The media “embraced” us and made us realize the magnitude of the necessity of our work. The TV news of television and the newspapers promoted our “social work” at every opportunity. Magazines “hosted” us , because their colorful pages acquired optimistic proposals for Lifeguard, for the Greek beaches and coasts. Their promotion helped us move forward and the people, especially the youth, understood our love for the sea and for our fellow human beings.
Our topic is big and we could write many pages about how we got here today. The long course requires us to constantly get better and not to be complacent about conquering the top. We welcome you and…. we invite you to support us, in our daring.
Yours sincerely
Nikos K. Giovanidis
Director of ENAK – Hellenic Lifeguard Academy
Graduate ΑΕΙ | ΕΚΠΑ, Intro/History/Art, Architecture Harvard University | USA, Swimming coach ΓΓΑ, Instructor Scuba Diving CMAS * & EOUDA,
Certificate of Competence Yacht Master Offshore – Royal Yachting Association – RYA/MCA | United Kingdom & HORC Hellenic Offshore Racing Club.
Instructor in: Lifeguarding, Scuba Diving, First Aid – | EFR – Emergency First Response – Innovative CPR, AED and First Aid Training | United Kingdom, HELO DUNKER Navy Helicopter School, River RescueAC | White Water Rescue.
Inflatable Rescue Boat Crewman’s, Surf Rescue, Basic Resuscitation, Emergency Care | PSLSC Australia
Mantzagriotaki 72
GR176 72 Davaki Square Kalithea
210 9575470
info@enak.gr
www.enak.gr
FB: Hellenic Lifeguard Academy
IG: enak_gr
Author: Nikos Giovanidis
Ο Νίκος Γιοβανίδης είναι Διευθυντής της ΕΝΑΚ - Ελληνική Ναυαγοσωστική Ακαδημία, με πάνω από τριάντα χρόνια ενεργής ενασχόλησης με την Ναυαγοσωστική.
