Fight on to save Junior Lifeguards

Los Angeles County Junior Lifeguard Taplin teams competing in the 2019 international Surf Festival lifeguard competition. The competition was cancelled this past summer, organizers are hopeful the Surf Festival will be resumed this summer. Photo by Ray Vidal

Los Angeles County Junior Lifeguard Taplin teams competing in the 2019 international Surf Festival lifeguard competition. The competition was cancelled this past summer, organizers are hopeful the Surf Festival will be resumed this summer. Photo by Ray Vidal

by Kevin Cody

“Too early to tell. It’s a great program and I hope we can keep it,” Los Angeles County Assistant Chief Scott Hale told Hermosa’s City Council Tuesday evening when asked if the Los Angeles County Junior Lifeguard program would resume this summer.

Two weeks ago, the council approved a list of beach events, including volleyball tournaments, a triathlon and the Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk. Hermosa Beach has the authority to approve beach events because, unlike other county beaches, Hermosa owns its beach.

The Junior Lifeguard program, which is administered by the Los Angeles County Fire Department, was cancelled last summer because of the pandemic.

Tuesday afternoon, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, who represents the South Bay, received unanimous board support for an emergency motion directing the LA County Fire Department, in consultation with the Department of Public Health and the Office of Emergency Management, to report back in 30 days on how to safely resume the Junior Lifeguard program this summer. Hahn noted that last summer, private beach camps were allowed to reopen.

For nearly a century, the Junior Lifeguard program has offered as many as 3,000 boys and girls, ages 9 through 17, training in water safety, surfing, ocean rescues and CPR. ER

 

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