Summer is in full swing, the beaches are packed, and lifeguards man their towers to keep us safe. Few of us give much thought to the awesome job our lifeguards do to protect us, and wildlife in the ocean. Bay Watch may come to mind when you think of lifeguards, but the job our local lifeguards do is much more than looking good in their swimsuits, although they do look great.
The mission of the San Diego Lifeguard Services is to provide the highest quality of service to the coastal and aquatic environment through prevention, education and outreach programs, rescue, emergency medical care, beach management and law enforcement. Professional lifeguarding began in San Diego in 1918 with 5 lifeguards. Today there are close to 300 lifeguards serving our coast. I used to go to Fletcher Cove frequently, and I would often get there early in the morning, when the lifeguards came on duty. They were always hustling around, moving cones, putting out flags, checking the ocean temperature, the currents, in other words, preparing for a typical day at the beach.
Daily beach and boating safety is their day to day most time consuming job, but they also have special rescue teams prepared to help in case of flooding. They do underwater search and recovery in ocean and bay waters and underwater criminal investigations in conjunction with the San Diego Police Department.
Lifeguards are always there to help. For example, our boogie boarding group has had a lifeguard speak to us about water safety, how to handle rip currents, and how to avoid getting stung by stingrays. Since we make sure the lifeguards know we are in the water, they make an extra effort to keep an eye on us. At Moonlight Beach the lifeguards help a man in a wheel chair get into and out of the ocean, on a regular basis. I have seen this man swimming many times, and it is because of the help and watchful eye of the lifeguards that he is able to do so. I have seen lifeguards tend to victims of stingray bites or jellyfish stings. Stephanie, who used to boogie board with us before she had several surgeries, was stung at Moonlight several years ago. She was in great pain, and was under the care of the lifeguards for several hours, before the pain went away. I've also seen lifeguards help lost children find their moms, kids who were too far out in rough water brought into shore, and seals that are stranded put back in the water, or taken to Sea World.
About 2 years ago the Del Mar lifeguard station was rebuilt at a cost of $2 million. It replaced a dilapidated lifeguard tower. It was recently awarded a regional award, and if you go visit the station, as I did, you will see why. It is state of the art. They have navigational equipment that tracks ships out at sea, binoculars that can see just about anything, and lots of high tech rescue equipment. If you go by the station, ask for a quick tour and they are happy to oblige.
Finally, as part of their Outreach Program, San Diego Lifeguards offer a Junior Lifeguard program, for kids age 7-17. Go to Moonlight Beach any weekday this summer and you will see the next generation of lifeguards training. They are learning all the essentials at an early age, and will be ready to step into a job if they want. They're having a good time, keeping fit, learning essential water skills that everyone living in Southern California should know, and doing something productive. I love watching them, knowing that they're enjoying their summer, keeping busy and out of trouble, and safe. Everyone wins with Junior Lifeguards. I wish that program had been around when I was a kid.
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Thank Your Lifeguard
Summer is in full swing, the beaches are packed, and lifeguards man their towers to keep us safe. Few of us give much thought to the awesome job our lifeguards do to protect us, and wildlife in the ocean. Bay Watch may come to mind when you think of lifeguards, but the job our local lifeguards do is much more than looking good in their swimsuits, although they do look great.
The mission of the San Diego Lifeguard Services is to provide the highest quality of service to the coastal and aquatic environment through prevention, education and outreach programs, rescue, emergency medical care, beach management and law enforcement. Professional lifeguarding began in San Diego in 1918 with 5 lifeguards. Today there are close to 300 lifeguards serving our coast. I used to go to Fletcher Cove frequently, and I would often get there early in the morning, when the lifeguards came on duty. They were always hustling around, moving cones, putting out flags, checking the ocean temperature, the currents, in other words, preparing for a typical day at the beach.
Daily beach and boating safety is their day to day most time consuming job, but they also have special rescue teams prepared to help in case of flooding. They do underwater search and recovery in ocean and bay waters and underwater criminal investigations in conjunction with the San Diego Police Department.
Lifeguards are always there to help. For example, our boogie boarding group has had a lifeguard speak to us about water safety, how to handle rip currents, and how to avoid getting stung by stingrays. Since we make sure the lifeguards know we are in the water, they make an extra effort to keep an eye on us. At Moonlight Beach the lifeguards help a man in a wheel chair get into and out of the ocean, on a regular basis. I have seen this man swimming many times, and it is because of the help and watchful eye of the lifeguards that he is able to do so. I have seen lifeguards tend to victims of stingray bites or jellyfish stings. Stephanie, who used to boogie board with us before she had several surgeries, was stung at Moonlight several years ago. She was in great pain, and was under the care of the lifeguards for several hours, before the pain went away. I've also seen lifeguards help lost children find their moms, kids who were too far out in rough water brought into shore, and seals that are stranded put back in the water, or taken to Sea World.
About 2 years ago the Del Mar lifeguard station was rebuilt at a cost of $2 million. It replaced a dilapidated lifeguard tower. It was recently awarded a regional award, and if you go visit the station, as I did, you will see why. It is state of the art. They have navigational equipment that tracks ships out at sea, binoculars that can see just about anything, and lots of high tech rescue equipment. If you go by the station, ask for a quick tour and they are happy to oblige.
Finally, as part of their Outreach Program, San Diego Lifeguards offer a Junior Lifeguard program, for kids age 7-17. Go to Moonlight Beach any weekday this summer and you will see the next generation of lifeguards training. They are learning all the essentials at an early age, and will be ready to step into a job if they want. They're having a good time, keeping fit, learning essential water skills that everyone living in Southern California should know, and doing something productive. I love watching them, knowing that they're enjoying their summer, keeping busy and out of trouble, and safe. Everyone wins with Junior Lifeguards. I wish that program had been around when I was a kid.
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