The Junior Lifeguard Program will resume this summer with COVID-19 safety measures. The popular program is offered to all children, ages 9 through 17, in Los Angeles County and is designed to teach participants beach and ocean skills. Every year, thousands of kids learn water safety, swimming, body surfing, surfing, physical conditioning, competition skills, first aid, lifesaving rescue techniques, CPR, and use of professional lifesaving equipment.

The Board of Supervisors approved a motion by Fourth District Supervisor Janice Hahn on February 9, 2021, which requested a detailed report on the reopening of the program.  The completed report outlines how to safely resume the Junior Lifeguard Program and includes safety protocols that will be implemented to meet the current Department of Public Health Officer Order for COVID-19.

Those public health measures include:

• Reducing the student-to-instructor ratio of 20:1 which will allow for 3,100 program participants, compared to previous pre-pandemic programs which allowed for up to 4,300 participants with a 30:1 ratio.
• Requiring and enforcing instructors and students to wear face coverings at all times, except during swimming and eating/drinking.
• Maintaining physical distancing of a minimum of six feet as well reminding participants on best practices to prevent infection and promote proper hygiene.
• Performing health and temperature screenings of instructors and participants at the start of each day.

Returning participants can expect to receive an e-mail from the Junior Lifeguard Program to begin registration today, Tuesday, March 16, 2021.  New applications will be available through the LA County Fire Department website starting Thursday, April 1, 2021.  The Department will also be conducting outreach in untapped Los Angeles County communities that have been underrepresented in the past.

If you have any questions, please contact the LACoFD Lifeguard Division Junior Lifeguard administration at 310- 939-7214 or via e-mail at fire-juniorlifeguards@fire.lacounty.gov.