Los Angeles City Lifeguards

<body> <h1>The Los Angeles City Lifeguards, swimming, running, swim lessons, pools, ocean, beaches.<h1> <p>The Los Angeles City Lifeguard service operates under two divisions, open water and pools. The L.A. City Open Water Lifeguards are highly trained to USLA standards and perform lifeguard services at five of the City’s open water facilities. The L.A. City Pool Lifeguards operate all of the City's pool facilities, providing lifeguard services, swim lessons, and perform pool maintenance and upkeep. The City of Los Angeles employs over 700 seasonal lifeguards, and conducts hiring each year. Click here if your interested in becoming an L.A. City Lifeguard! Don’t forget to check out our great beach, lake, and pool lifeguard photo galleries! The Los Angeles City Lifeguard Association (LACLA) is a non-profit organization whose members are professional lifeguards, both full and part time, employed by the City of Los Angeles, Department of Recreation and Parks. The mission of LACLA is to promote aquatic safety awareness and professional lifeguard standards. LACLA is a chapter of the California Surf Lifesaving Association (CSLSA), which is a regional member of the United States Lifesaving Association (USLA), which is in turn a member of the International Lifesaving Federation (ILSF). Although LACLA is a chapter of USLA, only LACLA members who work at the City’s Open Water facilities are members of CSLSA and USLA. LACLA members who work at swimming pools receive all benefits of the Association except those provided by CSLSA and USLA. Specifically, CSLSA and USLA benefits include membership kits from both organizations, “American Lifeguard Magazine” and “CalSurf News”, and the opportunity to participate in competitions sponsored by those associations (CSLSA Regional Lifeguard Championships and USLA National Lifeguard Championships). The primary source of funding for LACLA is membership dues and donations. A secondary source is the sale of lifeguard accessories. Funds offset the cost of membership kit material, accessory items, and help offset the cost of competition sponsorship and the Association’s newsletter. Each year LACLA sponsors the All City Lifeguard Relays to allow pool lifeguards to demonstrate their abilities in the water while competing against other L.A. City pool lifeguards in swimming events and events that simulate rescue activities and procedures. LACLA also organizes and helps sponsor L.A. City lifeguard teams that compete in other still water and open water competitions. LACLA members participate in educational presentations and displays at schools and fairs. LACLA members attend educational conferences, seminars and training, and bring back information about new philosophies and practices in the field of professional lifeguarding. This information is provided to members through mailings and the LACLA Newsletter. Join the Los Angeles City Lifeguard Association today (L.A. City Lifeguards only) and start enjoying all the benefits of being a member. The follow is what your membership gets you: - Membership kit: different every year, usually includes a combination of a few of the following items: stickers, water bottles, sports bags, shirts, towels, etc... - Allows you to compete at all pool lifeguard competitions - Allows you to compete at all open water competitions (open water guards only) - Supports the LACLA public education program which promotes water safety. - Includes the CSLSA/USLA membership packets, which usually consists of either hats, bags, stickers, bottles, shirts, towels, etc... (open water guards only) - Allows you to network with lifeguards from other agencies around the world! The City of Los Angeles provides lifeguard services at five Open Water Facilities. Namely, one beach and four lakes. The following is a list of facilities that are currently guarded by L.A. City Open Water Lifeguards (OWL's). Click here to download our Open Water Lifeguard Promotional Video! (12.9MB) Cabrillo Beach 3720 Stephen M. White Dr. San Pedro, CA 90731 (310) 548-2909 Directions Lakes Hansen Dam 11798 Foothill Blvd. Lake View Terrace, CA 91342 (818) 899-8369 Directions Lake Balboa 6300 Balboa Blvd. Van Nuys, CA 91406 (818) 756-9743 Directions Macarthur Lake 2230 W. 6th St. Los Angeles, CA 90057 (213) 368-4160 Directions Echo Lake 751 Echo Park Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90026 (213) 847-8524 Directions The following are requirments to become an L.A. City Open Water Lifeguard: - Have worked as an L.A. City Pool Lifeguard for at least two seasons. - Successfully complete a competitive 1,000 yard ocean swim at Cabrillo Beach under 20 minutes. - Pass the qualifing oral interview. - Successfully complete the competitive 60 hour Open Water Lifeguard Training Academy (Since both lake and beach guards hold the same official title, and the option to transfer from a city lake to a city beach is open to you (pending both supervisor's approval), all open water guards are trained together to OCEAN LIFEGUARD STANDARDS). Click here for the official job bulliten L.A. City Open Water Training Academy: The 2006 Open Water Training Academy Dates are: 4/29, 4/30, 5/6, 5/7, 5/13, 5/14 0800-1800 each day In order to respond effectively to the rigorous demands and inherent dangers of open water lifeguarding, the Aquatics Division, Open Water Section, operates as a paramilitary organization and follows a strict standard of conduct that, in some cases, exceeds that of the Department as a whole. The Training Academy instills this behavior into each candidate so that they may successfully learn the basic skills and knowledge necessary to function as an Open Water Lifeguard. The behavior and performance of each candidate will be observed and evaluated under classroom, field, and emergency situations. All candidates can expect a high degree of physical and mental pressure to be applied and a high level of discipline to be maintained throughout the Academy in order to assure an effective learning process. During the Open Water Training Academy, each lifeguard candidate is given a short review, followed by a written/skills test on all the following basics that should already be understood by each candidate before beginning the academy: - Basic First Aid - CPR Each candidate is then given extensive instruction on the following new material: - Open Water Enviornment/Hazards - Open Water Rescue Equipment - Open Water Rescues/Techniques - Spinal Management - Basic Medical Skills (blood pressure, oxygen, etc...) - Search and Rescue/Recovery - Tower Procedures - Tactical Communications - Basic Rescue Vehicle/Vessel Operation Each day the candidates will also participate in numerous competetive "Physical Training Events" (PT), which will include running, swimming, paddling, or most likely a combination of all three. Each of these events is meant to physically and mentally prepare the candidates for the extremely physical nature of open water lifeguarding. At the end of the academy, the candidates are each tested individually as well as thier ability to work within a team with various medical and rescue senarios. They are also given a comprehensive written exam for each. Each candidate is then ranked according to thier overall score. Hiring takes place according to your rank at the end of the academy. The number of candidates hired after completion of the training academy depends on the current demand at each of the open water facilities. Completion of the training academy does NOT guarantee you a position as an open water lifeguard. Cabrillo Beach is a favorite spot for anyone from families with small children to boaters looking for a good time at sea. People participate in all types of land and water based recreation. Cabrillo Beach is known by windsurfers as "Hurricane Gulch" because of it's predictably strong winds. It is also home to a few famous landmarks, namely the 1.75 mile Los Angeles Breakwater which ends at the Angeles Gate Lighthouse, the recently restored Cabrillo Beach Bathhouse, and the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium. During the winter time, you occasionally see the spectacular site of large surf pounding the L.A. breakwater. Beach Facilities/Activities: - Picnic tables - Handicap Access - Fishing Pier - Swimming - Playground - Marine Aquarium - Restrooms - Showers - Boat Launch Ramp - Nearby Marina - Windsurfing - Jr. Lifeguard Programs - Fire Pits - Barbecue Pits Los Angeles City Lifeguards Cabrillo Beach Lifeguard Headquarters 3720 Stephen M. White Dr. San Pedro, CA 90731 (310) 548-2909 Lifeguard Operations: Los Angeles City Lifeguards operate inner Cabrillo Beach and all of Los Angeles Outer Harbor. They frequently work hand in hand with adjacent agencies including United States Coast Guard, L.A. City Fire Boats, L.A. County Lifeguards, and Los Angeles Port Police. During the summer season, the beach is fully staffed with lifeguards at every tower. Currently, the lifeguards have two rescue boats and a rescue truck at their disposal. The rescue boats are operated by the most experienced lifeguards who have had many additional hours of specialized training. Rest assured, when you spend your day at Cabrillo Beach, the city lifeguards will make sure everyone has a safe trip to the beach. Working in the L.A. Harbor causes the City Lifeguards to be very versed at many different types of rescues. Check out our Cabrillo Beach Lifeguards Photo Gallery. Hansen Dam recreational facility contains a 9 acre recreation lake used for fishing and paddle boating, and a giant 1.5 acre swimming pool located on the 15 acre grounds of the Aquatic Center. Also contained within the property is a 900 acre flood control basin. Lake Facilities/Activities: - Picnic Tables Click here for information on Hansen Dam's 4th of July Celebration! - Handicap Access - Fishing - Hiking - Swimming (pool) w/ Water Slide - Playground - Restrooms - Showers - Paddle Boat Rentals - Jr. Lifeguard Programs - Barbecue Pits - Large Wooded Park Area - Equestrian Access Hansen Dam Lifeguards 11798 Foothill Blvd. Lake View Terrace, CA 91342 (818) 899-8369 Lifeguard Operations: Hansen Dam lifeguard operations are headquartered at the Aquatic Center located in the northwest portion of the Hansen Dam Flood Control Basin. The lifeguards are not only responsible for the 9 acre recreation lake and 1.5 acre swimming pool located on the 15 acre grounds of the Aquatic Center, but also for emergency response throughout the 900 acre flood control basin, which has a 40 acre quarry lake, the 8 acre remnant of Holiday Lake and several small (less than 8 acres) lakes throughout the Basin and the drainage of the Big Tujunga and Little Tujunga Rivers. Direct lifeguard surveillance is provided at the Aquatic Center. Don't forget to check out our lake photo gallery! The City of Los Angeles operates 59 swimming pools. 10 of these pools are operated year round, with the remaining 49 operated on a seasonal summertime basis. The next L.A. City Pool Lifeguard Test Dates are: 3/4/06 9AM @ L.A.S.S. and 4/15/06 9AM @ L.A.S.S. (L.A.S.S. = Los Angeles Swim Stadium) Call Citywide Aquatics at: (323) 906-7953 for more information. The following are requirments to become an L.A. City Pool Lifeguard: - Current CPR/First Aid Certification* - Current ARC Lifeguard Training Certification* - Complete a 70ft dummy tow and 200 yard medly swim with a total time of 8:59 or less. [Total Time = (Dummy Tow Time X 4) + Medley Time] - Successfully complete the Pool Lifeguard Rookie School. Click here for the official job bulliten *All required certification can be obtained through classes offered at your local L.A. City pool. See our Pool Listings page for a pool in your area. L.A. City Pool Lifeguard Rookie School: *The 2006 Pool Lifeguard Rookie School Dates are: 5/6, 5/7, 5/13, 5/20, 5/21 0800-1700 each day @ the Los Angeles Swim Stadium During the Pool Lifeguard Rookie School, each candidate is given extensive instruction on the following material: - Pool Hazards - The Basics of Lifeguarding - Swim Rescue Techniques - Spinal Management - Basic First Aid/CPR - Pool Maintenance and Upkeep - L.A. City Policies and Procedures Each day the candidates will also participate in a daily 500 yard pool swim. At the end of Rookie School, the candidates are each evaluated individually via field and written tests, and ranked accordingly. Click here for a current list (printable) of all L.A. City Pools with relevant contact information. (pdf format) Click here to find the closest Los Angeles City pool facility to your area. Each of the pools listed above can be contacted about lifeguard training, pool parties, educational programs, and swimming lessons. The above list can only be viewed with Adobe Reader. If you don't have adobe reader, click the adobe logo to the right to download. The L.A. City Lifeguard Urban Search and Rescue Team is comprised of highly trained open water lifeguards. The rescue team trains year round, usually twice a month depending on the season. The primary responsibilities of the rescue team are search and rescue/recovery dive operations. Most dive trainings are conducted at Cabrillo Beach, however, multi-agency search and rescue operations are frequently conducted with the U.S. Coast Guard, L.A. City Fire Department, among others. Although most of the trainings are geared toward diving scenarios, the team is also fluent in the art of swift water rescue. Minimum requirements to join the Rescue Team: - Minimum 2 years open water lifeguard experience (L.A. City) - EMT certification - Swift Water Rescue Certification - Open Water Scuba Certification - Rescue Diver Scuba Certification - Dry Suit Scuba Certification - Pass the written entrance exam (mainly diving material) - Ability to attend all rescue team trainings The L.A. City Lifeguard Urban Search and Rescue Team is comprised of highly trained open water lifeguards. The rescue team trains year round, usually twice a month depending on the season. The primary responsibilities of the rescue team are search and rescue/recovery dive operations. Most dive trainings are conducted at Cabrillo Beach, however, multi-agency search and rescue operations are frequently conducted with the U.S. Coast Guard, L.A. City Fire Department, among others. Although most of the trainings are geared toward diving scenarios, the team is also fluent in the art of swift water rescue. In order to qualify for a lifeguard position within L.A. City Department of Recreation and Parks, you must successfully complete all physical/written exams and training. L.A. City Lifeguards pride themselves on their level of comitment and abilities to perform all aspects of their job. The following openings are for seasonal part-time positions only. Open Water Lifeguards (Beach and Lakes): *The Next L.A. City Open Water Lifeguard Tryouts will be held at 8am on 4/1/06 @ Cabrillo Beach. Be there! *Click here to check out our Open Water Lifeguard Promotional Video! - Open Water Lifeguard I Flyer Current Salary: $18.96/hr - Open Water Lifeguard II Flyer Current Salary: $20.15/hr See our Open Water page for Academy dates as well as more details on training and requirements. ====================================================================================== Pool Lifeguards: The next L.A. City Pool Lifeguard Test Dates are: 3/4/06 9AM @ L.A.S.S. and 4/15/06 9AM @ L.A.S.S. (L.A.S.S. = Los Angeles Swim Stadium) Call Citywide Aquatics at: (323) 906-7953 for more information. - Pool Lifeguard Flyer Current Salary: $13.08/hr - Seasonal Pool Manager I Flyer Current Salary: $15.34/hr - Seasonal Pool Manager II Flyer Current Salary: $20.15/hr See our Pool page for rookie school dates as well as more details on training and requirements. LACLA awards City of Los Angeles Lifeguards two types of awards for outstanding service or heroism. The first award is the DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD and the second is the MEDAL OF VALOR. The following are recent recipients of these awards: DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD Awarded for meritorious service that exemplifies the tradition of service provided by Los Angeles City Lifeguards. Aquatic enviornments can present many different types of danger. LACLA can provide lifeguards with years of experience to provide water safety information to your school classrooms and events. Professional presentations will be given with examples of rescue techniques, swimming pool safety, and ocean safety. Our lifeguards will give your students knowledge to keep them safe around any water enviornment. They will get hands on experience with lifeguard rescue equipment. General water safety techniques will teach them proper use of a life jacket and what dangers to look out for in any type of aquatic enviornment. We will customize your presentation with any requests you may have. Contact LACLA president Richard Godino if interested in having us come to your classroom or event at: A major part of lifeguarding is prevention. Our classroom presentations help to lower the number of rescues actually needed. Preventative lifeguarding is a must. When requesting our services, please specify if you would like a pool, lake, or ocean lifeguard to give your presentation. Each will give a standard water safety presentation, as well as unique safety information geared towards the specific type of aquatic enviornment they work in. Please email LACLA president Richard Godino with any questions you may have on our presentations at: go.godino@verizon.net. We look foward to working with you! Stay safe, have fun, and always remember to swim and surf near an open lifeguard station! Many aquatic accidents are preventable. The following are some general guidelines that will aid in the prevention of accidents around various aquatic facilities. Go to our home page General Aquatic Safety Pools and Spas - Do not let children under age 5 use a spa; extreme heat can be fatal. - Do not let children of any age use a pool or spa unsupervised. - Hot water can complicate certain medical conditions. Ask your doctor. - Never use a spa after drinking alcohol. - Post Emergency Medical Service (EMS) numbers by your telephone. Water Parks - Pay attention to posted signs and any lifeguard instructions. - Always slide face up and feet first on waterslides. - Use life jackets if available. Buckets and Tubs - Any water deep enough to cover the nose and mouth of a child can cause drowning. - Empty cleaning buckets immediately after use. - Never leave children unattended in a bathtub. - Keep bathroom doors closed to stop a toddler from reaching the toilet. Lakes, Ponds and Rivers - Select an area that has good water quality where conditions are maintained for safety. - Select an area where rafts and docks are in good conditions. - Avoid drainage ditches and arroyos. Flood Control Channels and Rapid/Swift Water - Keep your distance from channels: - the sides are generally very slippery, steep inclines covered with algae. - the fast moving water can sweep a person away quickly. - Do not attempt a rescue procedure. They are extremely difficult and should be performed by equipped and trained personnel only. - Fast moving water creates dangers: - submerged trees can snag victims and pull them under. - lines thrown to the victim are also likely to drag the victim under. - Hydraulics are powerful currents found near dams, rocks, and other submerged objects that will pull and even hold a person down. Oceans - Check the surf conditions before you enter the water. - When in the water, stay away from piers, pilings, and diving platforms. - Stay within designated swim areas, ideally in front of a lifeguard stand. - Keep a lookout for any marine life. - Make sure you always have enough energy to swim back to shore. - If caught in a current, don't try to swim against it; swim parallel and gradually angle towards shore Boating - Always wear your life jacket. - Leave a boat plan with friends, family and/or officials. - Respect and understand the weather reports and conditions. - Follow safe fueling practices. - Safe boat loading practices: - never overload - refer to capacity plate in boat. - distribute weight evenly, keep passengers seated and secure gear to stop shifting. - Have a signaling device on board: horn, whistle, radio. - DON'T dive head first into any unknown water. - In shallow water, DON'T dive headfirst towards the bottom into oncoming waves. - DON'T stand with your back to the waves. - DON'T jump or dive from a cliff, pier, jetty or bridge. - Avoid bodysurfing, bodyboarding or surfing straight "over the falls." Ride the shoulder. - During a bodyboarding or surfing "wipeout", try to land as flat as possible with your hands out in front of you. Don't dive straight to the bottom. - While bodyboarding, always keep at least one arm out in front of you to protect your head and neck. - DON'T dive head first into any unknown water. - In shallow water, DON'T dive headfirst towards the bottom into oncoming waves. - DON'T stand with your back to the waves. - DON'T jump or dive from a cliff, pier, jetty or bridge. - Avoid bodysurfing, bodyboarding or surfing straight "over the falls." Ride the shoulder. - During a bodyboarding or surfing "wipeout", try to land as flat as possible with your hands out in front of you. Don't dive straight to the bottom. - While bodyboarding, always keep at least one arm out in front of you to protect your head and neck. The SPINE (backbone) starts below the waist and ends at your head. Along with the muscles in your back, it allows you to stand upright. The spine is actually made up of 33 small bones, called VERTEBRAE, with a cord inside called the spinal cord. The SPINAL CORD is a bundle of nerves that takes messages from the brain to the body. For example, those messages tell your hands to move or your feet to walk when your brain wants them to. Any serious injury to the spine, particularly to the neck area (CERVICAL SPINE), can cause a permanent interruption in the messages from the brain to the body. You may no longer be able to move your arms or legs for instance. This is what is known as being "PARALYZED." For this reason, it is very important to avoid injuring the spine. - Bruises, scrapes or cuts to the head or face. - Pain or tenderness in the neck or back. - Partial or complete paralysis. - Difficulty breathing. - Weakness in the arms and/or legs. - Numbness and tingling in the arms and/or legs. Rip Currents, commenly known as the dreaded "Undertow" in reality do not actually pull you "under". Rip currents are essentially a strong flow of water in the direction away from the beach. In other words, Rip Currents pull you out, not under. Below you will see a graphic accompanied by its explanation which will give you further insights, and most importantly, tips on how to survive a Rip Current. Waves are caused by the winds in storms at sea. The waves from different storms in the ocean combine to make surf on a beach. Waves come in groups called sets. During the winter storms are usually in the North Pacific and during the summer many storms are near the equator or Southern Hemisphere. 2 Waves hit the beach at angles, as a result this energy creates a current called the long shore current. The long shore current flows along the coastline. It can be easily recognized by watching foam; swimmers or debris near shore drift in it. During the summer the long shore current usually flows north and in the winter moves south. 3 After a set of waves break, a lot of water and energy is pushed towards the shoreline. This displaced water will move along the beach with the long shore current until it finds its way back out to sea; this causes the rip current. Rip currents are narrow, river-like, currents that have been fed by the long shore current and sets of waves. Rip currents are between 50 feet and 50 yards wide and can flow up to hundreds of yards past the surfline. You can easily spot a rip current by its foamy and choppy surface. The water in a rip current can be dirty brown (from the sand being turned up) and moves rapidly out to sea. 4 If you are caught in a rip current - do not panic. The rip current will not pull you under. Call or wave for assistance or swim parallel to shore with the long shore current until you are out of the rip, then swim directly towards shore. 5 If you cannot recognize the long shore current or rip current, talk to the lifeguard. If you cannot swim an overhand stroke for 15 minutes, you should not be in the ocean - take swimming lessons. 6 The ocean is a wonderful playground. Avoid its dangers by understanding its ways and being strong enough to enjoy it safely. When ever you decide it's time to get back in the pool for a good workout, make sure you stick to a structured workout. A shorter structured workout will benifit you ten times as much as just swimming a lot of garbage yards. In other words, don't do long continuous swims. If you want to get faster, you need to swim on timed intervals. Here is an example of interval set: Let's say for a set you wanted to swim 500 yards total. To swim this on an interval, you can break up the 500 yards into 5 swims of 100 yards each, and swim these 100's on the 1:30. Your overall set will read like this: 5x100 on 1:30. This means that if you start the clock when you start your first swim, every 1 minute and 30 seconds you need to start your second swim. So lets say you swim your first 100 yards in 1 minute and 20 seconds, that means you will have 10 seconds rest until you start your second 100 yard swim. If you swim your second 100 yards in 1 minute and 25 seconds, then you will only get 5 seconds rest before you start your third 100 yard swim. Get it? Swim decending sets. To decend a set would mean you progressively swim each of the swims in your interval faster and harder. So using our example of 5x100 on 1:30 from above, you would swim the first one moderately relaxed, the second 100 a little faster, the third 100 a little faster than the second 100, and once you get to the last swim, it should be all out effort. This will train your body to swim progressively harder as time goes on during a long distant race. If you feel like your swimming a constant pace, your most likely getting a little slower each lap. By decending, your pushing yourself harder each lap, thus causing a steady pace (each lap will be just as fast as the previous). See our swimming workouts page for some great structured workouts! Swim, Swim, Swim! Grab a pair of speedos and get in the pool! Intervals for all swimming workouts below are for a moderate speed swimmer. You may need to adjust the interval according to your swimming ability and fitness. Intervals for the workouts in *Meters are for a 50 meter long course pool. All others are for 25 yard short course pools. Free Lifeguard Videos: (**Most Videos filmed in W i d e s c r e e n, need Windows Media Player 9 or Higher to View...can download media player here) Los Angeles City Open Water Lifeguard Promotional Video, 3min 27sec...........................................wmv (12.9MB) L.A. City Lifeguards in the water during big surf at Cabrillo Beach, Dec. 2005 - video 1, 14sec...................wmv (807KB) L.A. City Lifeguards in the water during big surf at Cabrillo Beach, Dec. 2005 - video 2, 30sec...................wmv (1.63MB) L.A. City Lifeguard Rescue Boat 1 on patrol at Cabrillo Beach, 42sec........................................................wmv (2.18MB) Timelapse video of the Cabrillo Beach Dock (taken over 8 hours), 16sec...................................................wmv (606KB) History of the Los Angles City Lifeguards “Our history is long and convoluted. We have gone from being one of the premier lifeguard agencies in the nation for 50 years to nearly vanishing from the open water frontier for a decade to returning to some degree of respectability in the open water lifeguarding community. We are proud of this achievement and very proud to be part of the noble profession of open water lifeguarding.” In the early part of the twentieth century, lifeguards in Southern California were usually volunteers and were organized under either the United States Volunteer Lifesaving Corps or the American Red Cross Lifesaving Corps. The City of Los Angeles started employing lifeguards in 1918 when it opened the North Broadway Plunge. Three more pools were opened to the public during the next four years. In 1922 the Playground Department named Dudley Degroot as the first Supervisor of Aquatics, and made him responsible for all aquatic activities in the City. In 1923, with the annexation of the town of Venice and the adjacent Venice Beach, the existing Venice and Ocean Park Lifeguards were organized under the leadership of Myron Cox, the City’s first and longest reigning Chief Lifeguard. In 1925, the city of San Pedro was annexed and brought Cabrillo Beach under the umbrella of protection provided by Los Angeles City Lifeguards. During the 1930’s, lifeguards from many of the smaller cities in the Los Angeles area such as Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach asked the County of Los Angeles to provide lifeguard services for their beaches. It was during these times that lifeguard competitions began to be held primarily to test and develop skills. As war approached in the 1940’s, lifeguard “waterman” skills began to be utilized by the military, particularly the Navy and Marines, to help teach “drown-proofing” to sailors and others. Lifeguards pulling in a dory - Venice, Circa 1935 By the 1950’s, lifeguard services on Los Angeles area beaches were almost solely provided by the cities of Santa Monica, Long Beach, and Los Angeles or by the County of Los Angeles. City of Los Angeles lifeguards supervised bathers at over eleven miles of beaches including Will Rogers Beach near Pacific Palisades, Venice Beach, Dockweiler Beach in El Segundo and Cabrillo Beach. They also operated two municipal beach bathhouses -- the Sunset Pier Bathhouse and the Cabrillo Beach Bathhouse -- and provided lifeguard protection at Crowley Lake, Harbor Lake and Hansen Dam. It was during these times that lifeguards began to become more aware of their image and their status in the rescue community. Advances in lifesaving equipment and techniques during the 1950’s began to change the face of lifeguarding. Due in large part to a Los Angeles County team of lifeguards sent to the first International Surf Lifesaving Competition held in Melbourne, Australia in 1956, lifeguards began to see the use of the rescue can and paddleboards as well as competitions featuring lifeguarding skills such as the “Iron Man”. It was also in that decade that CPR was first introduced to lifeguards as a lifesaving skill. In the 1960’s, as surfing became popular, the first junior lifeguard programs were introduced. Tapping the abundant crop of young surfers, lifeguard services began to develop life-guards with a love of the ocean environment and the skills to match. Led by the County, lifeguards in the City and elsewhere began to see a progression towards parity with firefighters and law enforcement in terms of image, and occasionally in terms of salary and benefits. It was during this time that the Aquatics Division of the City of Los Angeles divided their lifeguard service into two sections -- the Pool Section and the Beach Section. Each section had different leadership, testing and training and were united only by having the same top supervisor. While the Pool Section went on to concentrate on providing lifeguard protection and educational swimming programs such as swim lessons, the Beach Section became more closely aligned with their public safety counterparts such as firefighters and other beach lifeguard services. As the 1970’s arrived, the two sections became more and more different. City management attempted to bring them closer together by putting the entire Division under the supervision of the Chief Beach Lifeguard Bill O’Sullivan. This unhappy marriage finally came to an end in 1975 when the City signed an MOU with the County merging their two beach lifeguard operations. Although there was some animosity at first, City beach lifeguards were mostly happy to take advantage of the higher salaries and safety series retirement offered by the County. Former City beach lifeguards went on to bolster the already outstanding ranks of County beach lifeguards. In fact, in 1990 former City beach lifeguard Don Rohrer became Chief Lifeguard for the County of Los Angeles. Don is now retired and is the current CSLSA Vice President and USLA President. This merger, however, applied only to the beaches, it did not include the lakes where beach lifeguards had formerly provided protection. Crowley Lake, Hansen Dam and Harbor Lake were immediately turned over to the Pool Section. Former City beach lifeguards were brought in to provide training for the pool lifeguards who were now becoming open water lifeguards. As the seventies waned, the passage of Proposition 13, and the loss of tax revenue ended lifeguard protection at Harbor Lake. Within the first six months after lifeguards were withdrawn, a drowning occurred during what would have been guarded hours. Three months later another occurred, this time involving a child of three. The City remained steadfast however. Lifeguard service has not been restored as of this date. In the 1980’s, the revenue pinch was still being felt. As the Hansen Dam flood basin began to silt in, the lake behind the dam became smaller and smaller. When it became too small and shallow to allow boating in 1983, the facility was officially closed and lifeguards were withdrawn. This left the City with only one open water facility, Crowley Lake, which was operated only six months of each year. But, in 1986, a strange reversal occurred. The City of Los Angeles Harbor Department, which had been partially subsidizing the County lifeguards on the inner beach at Cabrillo Beach, reached an impasse with the County. Rather than continue their agreement with the County, they turned to the City’s own Department of Recreation and Parks for lifeguard services. Once again the Pool Section ponied up some lifeguards, got them the advanced training they needed and put them on the beach. As this new generation of City beach lifeguards began to supervise activities on the inner beach, they were always painfully aware of the presence of County lifeguards looking over their shoulders. There was a certain amount of stress and criticism, but as they became more adept at beach lifeguarding they regained a certain amount of respect. The 1990’s saw the construction of Lake Balboa in the Sepulveda Flood Control Basin and the rebuilding of a new Hansen Dam Aquatic Center. Neither the 27 acre Lake Balboa or the 9 acre recreation lake at Hansen Dam allow swimming, both being used primarily by boaters and fishermen. A 1 ½ acre swim lake adjoins the recreation lake at Hansen Dam. Lifeguards at both facilities are responsible for safety in the large flood control basins surrounding both facilities. At Lake Balboa this includes a wild stretch of the L.A. River and at Hansen Dam it includes a 40 acre quarry lake and the 20 plus acre remnant of the old lake. Open water lifeguards provide protection on weekends at Echo Lake and MacArthur Lake, in the middle of the City of Los Angeles. This decade also saw a return to regional and national lifeguard competitions by City lifeguards. In 2000, the “first” summer of the new century, City lifeguards placed a respectable 6th in the Regional Championship. As of this writing, the City of Los Angeles Aquatics Division operates, in addition to nearly 50 swimming pools, five open water facilities. There are currently 110 lifeguards in the Open Water Section. Total attendance at these four lakes and one beach last year was nearly 900,000. Lifeguards made 278 rescues or medical aids and made 11,326 preventative actions and 7,890 enforcement actions. There was one fatality due to suicide during guarded hours. City open water lifeguards provide back up and mutual aid to the Los Angeles Fire Department in the San Fernando Valley and the Port of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles County Fire Department -- Lifeguard Division in the Cabrillo Beach area. Our history is long and convoluted. We have gone from being one of the premier lifeguard agencies in the nation for 50 years to nearly vanishing from the open water frontier for a decade to returning to some degree of respectability in the open water lifeguarding community. We are proud of this achievement and very proud to be part of the noble profession of open water lifeguarding. 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