High Life A WEEKLY FORUM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS : Call Goes Out for a Record 60 Lifeguards

They have both been lifeguards since their teens. Now, Michael Gaughan and Jack Lincke find themselves in need of 60 of those rescue officers of the water.

The two Orange County men recently formed a company called U.S. Ocean Safety to provide lifeguards to patrol 15 county-run beaches.

“There’s never been a call for this many lifeguards at one time before,” said Lincke, 44. For the past 10 years, the county has contracted with Lifeguard International Beach Services, a Laguna Beach firm, to supply lifeguards for its beaches. The firm was founded in 1979 to patrol a section of the county’s coast and, since 1985, has been responsible for all 15 county beaches.

But this year, U.S. Ocean wrested the $632,000 contract away from Lifeguard International and will be out to hire 60 lifeguards by April 7.

U.S. Ocean will conduct a lifeguard qualification test on March 4 at Aliso Pier south of Laguna Beach. The 60 men and women who score the best in the test will go through an intensive, 56-hour training program and be certified by the U.S. Lifesaving Assn.