Water World
Sure lifeguards get to spend their days at the beach, but it's not for the tan. Find out what it takes to be a lifeguard on our Orange County beaches.
It’s a typical sunny day at the beach in Orange County, and the waves and warm sand and birds dipping into the ocean seem peaceful enough – at least enough so that it’s hard not to fall asleep on a lazy afternoon. But then, I think, these summer enticements and tourist-attracting props are the same things that lifeguards see through different lenses – and not just the ones in their polarized sunglasses. The OC beaches are no vacation for the lifeguards on duty, who are perpetually and, after a while in the profession, instinctively, on alert for danger. It’s not a job for the faint-hearted (or even the easily distracted), and the training to become a full-time lifeguard, which consists of years of seasonal training and grueling mental and physical challenges, is only a small taste of the rigorousness of the profession.
But not everyone agrees that lifeguards are worth the city tax dollars that go to pay their salary. Earlier this year, controversy erupted when figures were released indicating that more than half of Newport Beach’s 14 full-time lifeguards made over $100,000 in 2010, and over $150,000 when benefits were factored in. On top of that, lifeguards could retire with 90% of their salary after 30 years on the job. As a result of the public outcry, the Newport Beach City Council voted in June of this year to lower pension benefits for full-time lifeguards.
Of course, that’s not the whole story. Most OC lifeguards are seasonal, earning in the vicinity of $16 to $22 per hour. It’s also true that full-time Newport Beach lifeguards run a junior lifeguard program that brings in more than $1 million per year.
Whatever side of the fence you come down on, there’s no doubt that lifeguards are some of OC’s everyday heroes – those that make our beaches safer, remind us to wear our sunscreen and, of course, save lives. Coast got to know five local lifeguards who set the bar for ocean rescue in Orange County.
Devyn Bisson
Lifeguard 1
Huntington Beach
How long have you been a lifeguard?
This is my rookie year.
What was your inspiration?
I grew up in Huntington Beach so, like most young kids, I participated in the Junior Lifeguard program starting at the age of 10. It quickly became one of the largest parts of my life and I continued in it for eight years. I wasn’t the fastest or the best, but I had so much passion for the program. [Then, when I was 15], I suffered a major neck injury during a Junior Guard’s surf trip to Camp Pendleton that left me millimeters away from not walking and took all my physical activities away, [but] I made sure to find a way to rehab and come back to Junior Guards. My neck injury put me on a path of purpose, which I had always wanted to be on, but before didn’t know how to begin. When my senior year came, I tried out to become a lifeguard and didn’t make it. Then my work in high school landed me an internship at Hurley headquarters but I couldn’t stop thinking of this part of me that wasn’t complete. Ironically, Hurley then became the main sponsor for the Huntington Beach Lifeguards. That fall and winter I focused on the upcoming lifeguard tryouts and now, when I stand in my tower and look down at the white Hurley logo sewn onto my red lifeguard trunks, I remember what a beautiful and crazy journey it's all been.
If I wasn’t a lifeguard, I’d be…
The girl version of Jack Johnson: amazing surfer, prolific singer/songwriter, world traveler, epic cinematographer... What more could you want?
Preferred swimsuit attire when not lifeguarding?
Any bikini top that will stay on while I’m catching waves, and for bottoms I’m always wearing my Hurley Phantom girl board shorts. I live in them before and after work.
Any advice for aspiring lifeguards?
Wake up early – really early, before everyone else, and see the sunrise. And second: Remember that achieving your dream can be very hard, but living it can be even harder. There were plenty of times after becoming a lifeguard where I felt overwhelmed and questioned myself, but you just need to keep moving forward and see the truth that lives in yourself.
Blake Anderson
Marine Safety Officer
San Clemente
What inspired you to be a lifeguard?
I have had a deep love for the ocean since I was very little and don’t remember a time when I wasn’t a beach kid. Coupled with my desire to help others, lifeguarding was an easy choice when it came to looking for a summer job.
What SPF do you wear on the job?
Body Therapeutics Solar Defense, SPF 35, waterproof and sweatproof for up to eight hours. It’s the stuff we order for the entire department.
What’s the most memorable rescue you’ve been a part of?
It was the first time I had seen the look of total desperation on anyone’s face, much less an 11-year-old little girl who was also in my junior lifeguard class. It was my third or fourth summer lifeguarding and my second as a junior lifeguard instructor. [I was teaching a] bodyboarding and swimming class when a [sudden] rip current started, which took all the kids by surprise. Most were able to make their way out, but one little girl was struggling to fight the current and was taken out where she couldn’t touch [the ground]. I saw the whole thing as if it were in slow motion. A wave was coming for her and I was still a few strokes away. I took one more stroke and made a desperate lunge under the wave just as it hit her. I collided with her underwater and wrapped her up with both my arms. I was not letting go.
About four years later, my sister came home from school and said she had met someone who said I had saved her life; it was the same girl. She was in high school and still remembered that day.
What’s your favorite OC beach to hang out at and why?
Clock tower building/SC Lifeguard Headquarters. There’s a volleyball court. My surfboard, wetsuit and anything else I may need is already down there. There’s also a left off the storm drain most people don’t really pay much attention to.
Matthew Karl
Marine Safety Officer
Huntington Beach
How long have you been a lifeguard?
I started lifeguarding for the City of Huntington Beach in 1981. I was promoted to a full-time position in 1992. I’m currently in the middle of my 31st summer.
If I wasn’t a lifeguard, I’d be…
A high school science teacher? A physicist? Rock star? Fry cook?
What SPF do you wear on the job?
Coppertone Sport SPF 30, classic Coppertone fragrance. It reminds me of summer whenever I smell it.
Preferred swimsuit attire when not lifeguarding?
Same as my lifeguard swimwear: Phantom board shorts by Hurley.
What’s the most memorable rescue you’ve been a part of?
One that comes to mind was a vessel that went aground in rough seas at night near Beach Boulevard [in Huntington Beach]. When I swam out to the boat there were several people on board in a state of shock not knowing whether they should abandon ship or stay on board. One of the men aboard the boat was holding his infant son as the boat was getting pounded by the surf. I begged the man to hand me the child. Somehow I convinced the father to hand me his son and I brought the kid to shore as another lifeguard was arriving to rescue the other three adults on board. Everyone made it safely to the beach and the boat was soon destroyed by the pounding surf. Thinking about the trust that parent had in my abilities and the look in his eyes as he handed me his child is still quite emotional for me.
Robin Jacobsen-Diederich
Junior Lifeguard Instructor and Seasonal Ocean Lifeguard
Newport Beach
What inspired you to be a lifeguard?
My family. My father was the Newport Beach Lifeguard Chief and my brothers were both Seasonal Ocean Lifeguards. It is kind of the family business.
If I wasn’t a lifeguard, I’d be…
A teacher. [Robin is currently a high school teacher at University High School in Irvine. She also coaches cross-country and swimming there.]
What’s the most memorable part of being a lifeguard?
When we get new Junior Lifeguards at nine years old each summer. They are oftentimes scared of the waves the first week, but by the end of the summer they are swimming a mile in the ocean in our Monster Mile or around the pier. Then several years later, I see these same kids become our outstanding seasonal ocean lifeguards. It’s what inspires me to come back each summer.
What’s your favorite beach to hang out at and why?
Wherever the surf is best, the sun is shining and the water is warm.
What’s the most important skill as a lifeguard?
Common sense.
Any advice for aspiring lifeguards?
Train hard, but understand that lifeguarding is not just about being the strongest or fastest swimmer. You must also be observant, aware, empathetic, and have strong interpersonal skills.
Alex Brandt
Seasonal Ocean Lifeguard I
Newport Beach
How long have you been a lifeguard?
This is my fifth summer.
What’s the most memorable rescue you’ve been a part of?
A few years ago there was a woman who suffered a spinal cord injury while at the beach. She hit her head on the bottom and was experiencing a lot of pain and numbness. She needed to be transported to the hospital, but she was very concerned about her children. She was very upset and crying and it was a traumatic situation for this family. Our lifeguards and the firefighters worked together to calm her and attend to her family. Due to the careful treatment she received both on the beach and at the hospital, we found out that she made a full recovery. It was great to know it had a good outcome.
What’s your favorite beach to hang out at?
Any beach in Newport.
What should everyone know when they go to the beach?
People should be aware of the dangers of spinal cord injuries at the beach. Always protect your neck by keeping your hands out in front when bodysurfing or diving in the ocean. Also check the depth of the ocean with your feet, not your head.
What’s the most important skill for a lifeguard?
Comfort in the ocean and strong swimming ability.
