Local Lifeguards New Zealand Bound

Two longtime seasonal lifeguards will leave today () for Auckland, New Zealand, to participate in an exchange program sponsored by the California Surf Lifesaving Assn.

Jon Mitchell, 34, and Rob Maier, 40, say they are looking forward to the seven-week program, where they will have an opportunity tolearn from their counterparts across the globe.

“I’m interested to find out how they go about their rescues and procedures,” Mitchell said. “And I also hope to hone and sharpen my skills as a lifeguard.”

Maier said the New Zealanders have a hiring system that is different from procedures here.

“There may be good things in their system that we can learn from and try to implement,” he said.

This is the first time that both delegates from California have been chosen from Newport Beach, said Capt. John Blauer, spokesman for the Newport Beach Fire and Marine Department.

“It’s an honor,” he said. “They’re going to learn a lot and have a good time.”

Mitchell and Maier will not only learn new skills but also share what they have learned and mastered in Newport Beach, Blauer said.

The city’s lifeguards, part of the Fire and Marine Department, make an average of 5,000 rescues a year. The Lifeguard Service, established in 1923, now has 175 seasonal and 15 permanent lifeguards.