Starting in the 18th century, organizations were formed to help those in need of rescue in the water. Following an international congress in 1878, these organizations were increasingly cooperating to learn from each other. One offspring of that was competitive lifesaving, a tool to train lifesavers and interest others in lifesaving.
Competitions in lifesaving were held during the 1900 Olympic Games, where it was also unsuccessfully attempted to set up an international federation for the sport. This succeeded 10 years later, with the foundation of the Fédération Internationale de Sauvetage Aquatique (FIS). This federation eventually merged into what is now the International Life Saving Federation, an International Olympic Committee (IOC)-recognized organization. As of 2024, it had 114 full members, 18 associate members, 14 corresponding members, and 2 affiliate members.