LAGUNA BEACH
The city’s Marine Safety Department today began staffing each of the city’s 27 lifeguard towers full time in preparation for the summer season, which is expected to bring 1 million beach goers to the city. The city’s 100 lifeguards watch over 4 miles of coastline and 12 square miles of ocean from Irvine Cove to Treasure Island.
“The key factor to the success of a lifeguard is vigilance,” Klosterman said. “It’s proven that when you have a lifeguard in a tower, the chances of drowning are close to nil.”
Laguna Beach lifeguards, who are certified as emergency medical technicians, make about 1,800 rescues a year. They also make about 50,000 “preventive contacts,” moving beach goers out of harm’s way, and give out 30,000 safety warnings annually.
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