Rota-Monica #14

Another wonderful and informative program was enjoyed by all in-person attendees and our Zoom audience on Friday.  Sean Nollan gave our club a look inside the life of an Ocean Lifeguard.  Sean has been an Ocean Lifeguard with the Los Angeles County Fire Department since 1999.  He explained some of the rigors one goes through to become a LACFD Ocean Lifeguard.  He shared the test given recently at Zuma Beach for 180 recruits that included swimming 1,000 meters in the ocean followed by distance running.  He says, it’s an arduous test of endurance.

The type of Lifeguard candidates with aquatic ability is certainly increasing every year.  Some of this is due to their recruiting efforts as they reach out to high school water polo teams for their Junior Lifeguard Program.  They currently have 4300 Junior Lifeguards in the Los Angeles County program now.  Their recruiting program expands over the far-reaching areas of Los Angeles County.  Despite ramping up recruitment efforts they are experiencing a shortage of Lifeguards at County lakes and pools.

Several of our members could attest to the experience their children have had with the Junior Lifeguard Program.  Erik Jorgensborg shared during the Q and A time that his daughter went through the Junior Lifeguard training and during the training she helped a young person who was caught in a rip current at sea.  Several Rotarians had personal stories like Erik’s.

Sean also showed film clips of water rescues at Abalone Cove off the coast of Palos Verdes where the rip currents are especially strong.  The Ocean Lifeguard’s essential equipment includes swim fins, and a helmet among other things.  The fins give power to assist the swimmer in swimming across the currents and the helmet is for safety when the waves are strong and push the rescuer against the rocks as demonstrated in the Abalone Cove film.

Los Angeles County Ocean Lifeguards often hold trainings for the public as this past weekend at Bruce’s Beach in Manhattan Beach.  These Lifeguards do sidewalk CPR, they have managed COVID test sites, and they go up to three miles off the coast to assist with water rescues.  They have been trained to use Marine Technical Sonar for mapping of the ocean’s floor to locate  missing swimmers.

In recent years they have been supported through sponsorships, like the on-land trucks are fully sponsored by Toyota.  This allows the LCFD Ocean Lifeguards to use their budget in other areas of need.