Lifeguard Cuts

This is definitely an old issue but the City of San Diego budget cuts have and still hinder the San Diego Lifeguard Service in performing its duties for the local community. Beaches such as North Pacific Beach as well as Blacks faced cuts in staff back in November 2010 and from what I have seen already have due to the rejection of Prop D during the last election. I say “from what I have seen” because I did not work last summer or this winter and only noticed that I did not see any lifeguards patrolling Blacks Beach while I was surfing this morning as well as hearing of demotions in the service in the last 6 months due to cuts. If cuts indeed happened in North Pacific Beach, senior lifeguards would be stationed elsewhere, according to San Diego News Room, creating longer response times for those senior personnel. I have been in many situations where lifeguard assistance was essential in saving a life and the possibility of having areas of beach unprotected makes me worry. I have memories of being in Mexico where I have made water rescues because the beaches were usually understaffed. These cuts also require more employees to work overtime and have less time for training and improving their lifesaving skills. There has been a study about whether hiring more employees is cheaper for the City than increased overtime. I have not found a source that describes the outcome of this study.

The Lifeguard Service does an important job protecting people that go to the beach year round. During the summer they make hundreds of rescues despite the common misperception that lifeguards just sit around working on their tan. In addition to water rescues they are usually always the first on scene during the most vital moments of medical aids before paramedics arrive. The lifeguards in the Service that I have come to know are responsible, hard working, and excellent at their job. I am no expert of the City and could not tell you what government institutions to cut funding for instead but I would like to voice my opinion.

I hope you take this into consideration the next time you vote on propositions that will eventually affect budget cuts for the San Diego Lifeguard Service.