Reporter learns being a lifeguard is more than just a day at the beach

John Dunbar, Daytona Beach News-Journal
·2 min read

Daytona Beach News-Journal reporter Sheldon Gardner spent a day at the beach learning about the lives of area lifeguards recently. Not a bad assignment all things considered.

She wasn't there to frolic in the ocean though. She was working on a story about the Beach Safety Division and its heroic crew of lifeguards that guard our beaches and keep us safe.

So what did she learn? Let's find out.

It seems to me that these are not your average lifeguards. What surprised you the most about them during your reporting?

Just how much expertise goes into watching the water. They're not just watching out for people in obvious distress. They work to keep people out of known rip-current areas and pay attention to people who might be vulnerable even before they get in the water. They do a lot to prevent emergencies.

Sheldon Gardner poses for a photo during the Volusia Literacy Council's 2023 "Lights for Literacy Gala."
Sheldon Gardner poses for a photo during the Volusia Literacy Council's 2023 "Lights for Literacy Gala."

You have to be in pretty good shape to do this job. What are the physical requirements to become a lifeguard with Beach Safety?

The basic requirements for a new lifeguard are swimming 500 meters in up to 10 minutes, swimming 50 yards in up to 30 seconds and running 1/2 a mile in up to 3 minutes and 15 seconds.

Out of all the advice you heard during your time, what is the No. 1 important thing people should keep in mind when they go swimming in the ocean off the Volusia County coast?

Swim in front of a staffed lifeguard tower.

Volusia County Beach Safety Officials and County Council Chairman Jeff Brower pose with the Council's National Beach Safety Week proclamation and Beach Safety's 2023 Beach Patrol of the Year award from the Florida Beach Patrol Chiefs Association.
Volusia County Beach Safety Officials and County Council Chairman Jeff Brower pose with the Council's National Beach Safety Week proclamation and Beach Safety's 2023 Beach Patrol of the Year award from the Florida Beach Patrol Chiefs Association.

This group won a big award in 2023. What was it and what did they have to do to earn it?

The Florida Beach Patrol Chiefs Association named Volusia County Beach Safety as the 2023 Beach Patrol of the Year. That year they performed 2,512 water rescues and 35,811 preventive actions, among other things. The association president, who president the award, said Beach Safety managed to protect the public despite facing a lifeguard shortage and increased demands ― and they faced a state law change that shifted law enforcement power to the Volusia Sheriff's Office. Some full-time lifeguards left the agency.

What's the best part of being a lifeguard?

Senior Ocean Lifeguard Tyler Dalecki said it's the rescues: "It's a feeling like no other ... That's why I stay here."

John Dunbar is Executive Editor of the Daytona Beach News-Journal.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Reporter gains new respect for lifesaving heroes patrolling beaches