- As covered by Cretalive, lifeguard expert Manos Koxarakis says that Crete’s official lifeguard season (June 1 – Sept 30) does not match the island’s actual tourist calendar.
- While Heraklion’s beaches are legally covered, many tourists arrive in May and stay into October without professional surveillance.
- Pool safety regulations vary by hotel size: smaller hotels can use “pool swimmers” who multitask, while larger resorts require dedicated, uniformed lifeguards.
Speaking to Cretalive, Manos Koxarakis, director and instructor at the Okeanis Lifeguard School, said the current legal lifeguard period—from June 1 to September 30—no longer reflects the realities of tourism in Crete, where visitors begin arriving well before June and continue well into autumn.
Although Greece’s legal framework (Presidential Decree 71/2020) requires lifeguard coverage on designated beaches, Koxarakis argues that implementation often starts later than intended due to administrative delays, leaving popular swimming areas without protection during parts of the tourist season.
Lifeguards Are Not Babysitters
Koxarakis also addressed a common misconception surrounding swimming pools, particularly at hotels.
Under Greek regulations, smaller hotels with fewer than 50 beds and pools no deeper than 1.5 meters may designate a trained staff member as a pool lifeguard, provided they have received the required training in water rescue and first aid. That employee may carry out other duties but must be able to respond immediately in an emergency.
Larger hotels and deeper pools, however, require the continuous physical presence of a dedicated lifeguard, who cannot be assigned additional responsibilities while on duty.
Despite improvements across the hospitality sector, Koxarakis told Cretalive that not all hotels have yet fully complied with these requirements, although many operators are investing in better lifeguard coverage to improve guest safety.
Parents Remain the First Line of Protection
Perhaps the most important message is directed at parents.
Even a shallow pool can become dangerous for a young child. According to Koxarakis, just 10 centimeters (about four inches) of water can pose a drowning risk under the wrong circumstances.
He stresses that lifeguards are trained to supervise the swimming area—not individual children.
“A lifeguard is not a babysitter.”
Children under the age of seven, especially those who have not received swimming lessons, should always enter the water with an adult. Parents should keep their full attention on their children rather than becoming distracted by mobile phones or other activities.
As tragic drowning incidents continue to occur across Greece every summer, experts say prevention remains the most effective lifesaving tool. Extending lifeguard coverage and maintaining constant parental supervision could help prevent accidents before they happen.
