'More people to watch': Volusia County beaches have fewer lifeguards watching out for swimmers

DAYTONA BEACH – When Emma Pinciaro takes her spot on her lifeguard tower south of the International Speedway Boulevard approach these days, she watches over a lot more people on a bigger stretch of beach.

That’s because Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue has not been able to fill 100 seasonal lifeguard positions needed to man the beaches this summer, said Ocean Rescue Deputy Chief Tamra Malphurs.

That means that there are fewer of the red towers on the 47 miles of Volusia County beaches, usually manned by a full staff of 300 lifeguards.

What's behind nationwide lifeguard short: It's affecting one third of US summer pools

"More people to watch"

Pinciaro, who has been a lifeguard in Volusia since 2016, said that with neighboring towers gone, she now has to guard an area that stretches a half mile to the next tower.

Volusia County beach protocols show that a lifeguard's area of beach varies but includes a protected area that extends as far as the lifeguard can see on either side of the tower. The protected area is the bathing region within 300 feet of a lifeguard's tower, the policy states.

Recognizing Volusia's lifeguards: Since the 1920s, lifeguards have kept Volusia's beaches safe

She has to be more alert, more cautious, and like other lifeguards, she now stands on her tower with her binoculars, whistle at the ready, scanning the beach zone she cares for looking for swimmers in trouble.

"You'll be sitting on your tower and you'll have another tower for half a mile or it could be more,” Pinciaro said. “So that's a big thing that we've noticed with shortages. That just means you're covering more distance when you're sitting on your tower, more people to watch, more area to watch covering more distance.”

The shortage of lifeguards is a nationwide problem, Malphurs said.

“We saw a little shortage (of lifeguards) last year as well but this year is even worse,” she said. “This is something that is happening around the country.”

Lifeguards earn $13.24 an hour but are now also being given a $500 bonus. Malphurs said $500 bonuses once offered only to new recruits, are now also being offered to all lifeguards as a recruiting incentive.

According to a June 9 New York Times report, lifeguards are frustratingly scarce this year, leaving tens of thousands of pools and beaches unguarded around the country this summer.

And USA Today on June 6 reported that a major shortage of lifeguards has left more than 300,000 pools in danger of being unguarded in cities across the United States.

Cause of shortage

What’s causing a shortage of these young men and women in swimsuits who risk their lives for eight hours a day rescuing people from rough waves in Volusia County?

Andrew Ethridge, Director of Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue said he believes young people no longer want to be lifeguards because of competition in the workforce and other factors.

“There are many reasons why kids are moving toward other things. They can do things in a shorter period of time where they can make some money and then maybe have the rest of their day,” Ethridge said.

The strict rules that apply to lifeguards on duty may also be deterring young people finding seasonal jobs as lifeguards, Ethridge said.

“We also have a very strict cell phone policy where you can't have your cell phone on the tower. I think that's a big component to it,” Ethridge said.

The physical requirements of being a lifeguard may be another turnoff for some young people, the director of beach safety said.

"There's a lot of physicality to the job and I think there's a pretty large contingent of the generation who are more in line with gaming and they're more in line with indoor electronic sports,” Ethridge said. “I don't think there's any one thing and in addition we've also got the great resignation that's going on with everybody. So, it's not just lifeguards, it's across the board. People are struggling to find employees.”

The lifeguards who have chosen to work on Volusia County's beaches are committed and have "their hearts" in the job and are doing a great job rescuing swimmers from the sea, Ethridge said.

On June 9, lifeguards pulled 107 people from the rough surf off the shores of Volusia County, the highest number of rescues in a week.

"I can only attribute that to the skill and the dedication of our employees because the ones that are here, are all in," Ethridge said. "They are doing a hell of a job every single day trying to make up and fill that gap. So, all I can say is, they're doing more with less."

Experience, teamwork, preparation make up for shortage

The lifeguards themselves understand the huge responsibility they have to the community of beach visitors.

In addition to tower guards, beach patrol officers in vehicles and other roving patrols also assist when the need arises for water rescues. They join and help lifeguards when water emergencies arise, said Ocean Rescue Capt. Laura Warner.

"The shortage creates more responsibility for everybody else who is here, and we stress the importance of this to our mobile lifeguards on ATV's and our trucks," Warner said. "You know, we always have eyes on the water, even if we're dealing with other issues as officers."

Warner said beach patrol officers have to be ready to jump out of their law enforcement uniforms into swim trunks to assist lifeguards.

"So, that's why we have the buoys on the trucks," Warner said. "The past week a lot of times our officers were dressing down to their bathing suits, 'cause they all wear suits under all of our full-time gear, and going in the water."

Pinciaro said that experience also helps make up for the shortage because she is able to spot someone that is at risk in the water and can quickly run across the extra stretch of beach to get to them in time.

"You are watching these people so you know that they're in trouble before they know they're in trouble sometimes," Pinciaro said. "When you are working your tower and you are by yourself you learn little things about people just like persons doggy paddling, you know they are not comfortable in the water."

To help cope with the lifeguard shortage, beach officials urge visitors to swim in areas of the beach that are under the watch of lifeguards, listen to warnings from lifeguards and be aware of beach conditions, especially rip currents, before coming to the beach.

Lifeguards now spread out according to a tower-priority system where beaches are expected to be crowded. They staff towers in areas where rip currents are "pulling worse" than in other areas, Malphurs said.

Volusia County beach information is available to the public on the beach mobile app for Android and Apple iPhones at https://www.volusia.org/services/public-protection/beach-safety/beach-navigator.stml.

"That's why it's so extremely important to download our beach app. You can get real time updates on that beach app and find out what lifeguard towers are open for the day," Malphurs said. "You could be driving over, you know, from out of the area, and you can find out where to go. And that's why we tell people it's so important to swim in front of staffed lifeguard towers."

Rebecca Ford, who was visiting from New Orleans, and who said the rough waves can easily take a swimmer under, agreed with Malphurs.

"I think despite the shortage the lifeguards are doing a good job but it also takes the swimmers' and civilians' responsibility to listen to the lifeguards. We have to do our part," Ford said.

Watching from the beach as lifeguards dove into the sea for their one-mile ritualistic swim they undertake before starting their day, Jose Ford, Rebecca's husband, of New Orleans. marveled at the speed, skill, and strength of the lifeguards heading to buoys at least 300 yards out in the ocean.

"The beach is amazing, (but) it'll take you away from your family fast, to have somebody help you, it's just amazing," Jose Ford said. "It's a blessing to have people who come here every morning and want to do their job."

Lifeguards on duty don't have the option of of not performing, even in a time of shortage, as saving a life is a top priority, Ethridge said.

Pinciaro echoed Ethridge's sentiments.

"Our main job out here is to make sure that everyone goes home the way that they came (to the beach)," Pinciaro said. "It's definitely more demanding for everyone, but we understand what is being asked of us when we are out here."

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Lifeguard shortage: Volusia County having problems finding enough lifeguards