Full-time lifeguards essential on city beaches

As a 53-year resident, lifetime year-round beach user and former city lifeguard, I feel compelled to write regarding the use of seasonal lifeguards in place of full-time employees within the city’s Marine Safety department.

It is obvious to anyone observing beach usage in Laguna that there is a need for a vigilant, well-trained, professional and highly motivated lifeguard service to patrol the local beaches year round. Currently, five seasonal ocean lifeguards work full-time without benefits, retirement or proper training to maintain Laguna’s excellent beach safety record.

Correcting this unsafe and unfair practice of using seasonal employees to fill full-time needs has been a 10-year quest of the Laguna Beach Lifeguard Assn. and concerned people throughout the community.

Year-round beach attendance is up dramatically over these 10 years and lifeguard training standards have changed significantly, requiring additional training to meet prudent regional Marine Safety standards. Each year, the city lifeguards ask for help from the city manager and the City Council for additional full-time staffing in order to keep the beach safe for all visitors. And each year, due to budget constraints, the department needs are unfulfilled.

It is time for the council and city manager to recognize the needs of the Marine Safety Department and listen to the professional lifeguards who make a gallant effort to keep our beautiful resource safe for everyone to enjoy.