Tammy Malphurs confirmed as Volusia County Beach Safety director
Veteran lifeguard and longtime county resident Tammy Malphurs is officially the new director of Volusia County Beach Safety, which runs the lifeguard corps.
The Volusia County Council unanimously approved the recommendation by County Manager George Recktenwald.
"I'm very honored," Malphurs told the council.
The promotion means Malphurs' salary is increasing from about $103,280 to $128,000.
Malphurs had already been serving as interim director of Beach Safety after the resignation of Andy Ethridge in March.
District 4 Councilman and Vice Chair Troy Kent said that he wants Malphurs to increase the number of lifeguards on the beach, and he will vote for the agency to get more funding if that's needed.
"You will be in charge of our greatest asset in Volusia County," Kent said. "It's an incredible responsibility."
Malphurs started with Beach Safety in 1997 as a part-time lifeguard "and went on to become a triple-trained lifeguard, emergency medical technician, law enforcement officer, and public information officer," according to the county. "Her commitment and expertise led to several promotions, including deputy chief in 2022 and interim director in 2024."
County Manager George Recktenwald said Malphurs has demonstrated leadership and dedication to public safety.
“She’s skilled in search and rescue, swift water rescue, high angle rescue, and confined space rescue," Recktenwald said. "She has been deployed to every natural disaster activation since the massive wildfires of 1998. Notably, she was deployed to Mississippi during Hurricane Katrina, providing critical support in a time of need.”
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Volusia County lifeguards get new leader, Tammy Malphurs
