IN THE PIPELINE:

Did you catch all of the media coverage that the Huntington Beach Lifeguard tryouts received this week?

The coverage was with good reason: Never before have more men and women tried out for one of the coveted posts. To get a sense of what made the tryouts so popular this year, I interviewed the boss, Marine Safety Chief Kyle Lindo:

Why are tryouts such a big deal this year?

We think there are a few reasons (not necessarily in order):

1. Perception of the job and the economy. Who doesn’t want a job where all that you have to do (in their opinion) is sit in the sun and do nothing? Also, in today’s environment, jobs have become more difficult to find — particularly a seemingly easy job where pay starts at about $16 per hour. Finally, earning pay for training (explained below) gives someone the short-term potential to make more than $1,000.

2. TV show/marketing. I’ve seen the lifeguards on “Ocean Force” and think it’s a cool job. The job is also posted on craigslist, Monster, “NEOGOV” and in school career centers.

3. We are paying people to go through our training program. In the past, we would take about 35 people into our training program. After more than 100 hours of training, we typically only hired about 15 people. If you did not get hired, you were not compensated. It made it very difficult if you were employed and had to sacrifice a week of work and knew you were not going to be compensated for your time. Now, you will be compensated for your time in training at the $16-per-hour rate. The downside is that we will probably only take between 20 and 25 into training.

The training schedule is more flexible. In the past it was held over a one week “spring break” period that, while convenient for the local high school students, was difficult for many in junior college and college/university. We are now doing training on weekends and are considering offering a few make-up days.

4. Some people are aware of what lifeguards do, are great swimmers and are really into helping people. A decent number of Junior Lifeguards usually apply, and we know of four former guards that have expressed interest in returning (one hasn’t worked since the mid 1980s).

How do tryouts this year compare to other years?

Because we are essentially hiring people on the spot after the tryout, we expect the event to be more competitive. The larger number of participants, and possible large number of non-swimmers, will make it challenging for our staff to keep the event safe (we expect to make multiple rescues). Other differences are listed above and below.

How many were you expecting last Saturday?

We really won’t know until the morning of the tryout. However, in the past we usually received about 20 Performance Exam Applications and waivers prior to the event and about 50 people would walk-in on tryout day for a total of 70 applicants. This year, we have already received about 60 applications. (Eventually, more than 150 people showed up!)

What is the process like?

If you have time, I have a video (done by Hollister Co.) of one of our tryouts. “Tryouts” is a three-event process: a long-distance swim around the pier (depending on tide, about 1,000 yards), a sprint out to mid-pier, through the pier and back (about 500 yards); and a run-swim-run consisting of a 500-yard run, half-pier swim, 500-yard run.

All events are done in prevailing conditions (doesn’t matter how cold the water or how large the surf — does a lifeguard get to choose when they have to make a rescue?). Wetsuits are not permitted.

How many will be chosen?

We will invite about 40 of the top finishers (combined score of all events) to complete an official job application and questionnaire. After screening and a possible follow-up interview, we hope to offer positions to about 25 candidates and keep the remaining 15 as alternates should one of the 25 not be able to commit to training or have background issues.

OK, so my daughter and I were there last Saturday morning for the tryouts, and it was a spectacular site — sort of like an Ironman/Ironwoman competition. Most notable for me was a local named Harry, a car salesman who, at 47, decided to take the challenge not to become a lifeguard, but rather to celebrate his clean bill of health after battling with a flesh-eating virus. I’m not sure if he made the final cut, but we watched him swim around the pier (the first event) and he handled it with ease. Way to go, Harry!

Huntington Beach lifeguards play vital roles here in Surf City — if the men and women we saw Saturday are a gauge of what to expect this coming summer, we (and a lot of tourists) will be in good hands.

Reminder: I’ll be signing books (along with Robert Mayer and Kai Weisser) at the Friends of the Library luncheon at the Central Library at 11:30 a.m., Friday. For more information call the Friends of the Library Gift Shop at (714) 375-8429.

CHRIS EPTING is the author of 14 books, including the new “Huntington Beach Then & Now.” You can write him at chris@chrisepting.com.