ORANGE COUNTY PERSPECTIVE : Technology in the Surf

The traditional lifeguard rescue meant a savior in a red swimsuit paddling out through the surf or using a rowboat to save people who were in over their heads. But modern technology is available now, and Orange County lifeguards wisely have started to take advantage of it.

This week there was a three-day, on-the-water training course for two dozen lifeguards from Seal Beach, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach and Lake Mission Viejo.

The lifeguards were taught the ins and outs of the so-called personal watercraft, the popular one- or two-person vehicles that look like snowmobiles on the water.

Los Angeles County emergency services personnel started using the craft last year, and Newport Beach followed suit last summer. In one instance last year, Newport Beach turned to a personal watercraft when a rescue boat broke down.

Orange County lifeguards said they think the new device can help prevent drownings. One noted that the watercraft can be launched easily by a single person and can operate in shallow water.

In a good example of public-private partnership, Newport Beach and Huntington Beach each were given two of the craft by local dealers.

For lifeguards who have been known to make hundreds of rescues on busy summer weekends at Orange County beaches, the watercraft could prove to be a valuable asset in keeping swimmers alive.