VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – The beach is bustling this weekend as people flock to the shore, eager to enjoy the sun before the storms roll in. This busy period poses challenges for beach safety teams, especially during Memorial Day Weekend, as they strive to ensure the safety of all visitors.
“We’ve been busy, we’ve had a lot of crowds, but so far, knock on wood, it’s been relatively mild,” said Captain AJ Miller.
This weekend, Volusia Beach Safety is experiencing a relatively calm period, resulting in fewer rip currents and rescue operations. The team has executed around 35 rescues between Saturday and Sunday. This is a stark contrast to previous busy years, such as 2023, when the team conducted rescues for as many as 301 individuals over the Memorial Day weekend.
Miller explained, “Our placement of towers is informed by historical data, the frequency of past rescues in certain areas, and everyday observations.”
Captain Miller said they are always prepared, no matter the rip current conditions. With so many people on the beach for the holiday weekend, emergencies can happen on the sand, too. Each lifeguard must keep an eye on hundreds of people.
“Anywhere from a couple hundred to, especially in the no-drive zone, we have big pop-up events where you could have two or three thousand people,” he said.
This weekend, the team has two dozen trucks filled with lifeguards and EMTs. There are 128 guards working in towers and roaming the sand, along with ATVs and boats patrolling the area.
“We have to do dry land observations. We have to see what’s going on on the beach that could be precursors for trouble in the water later,” Miller explained.
The team looks for people speeding on the sand, crowd formations, and alcohol use. With a national lifeguard shortage affecting Volusia, these teams are also putting in extra effort to recruit new lifeguards and keep Volusia’s 47 miles of beach safe.
[Watch video below for details on beach rescue training]
“We’ve really hit it hard on our social media for recruiting. We’ve been in every school in the county that will allow us in to talk or put flyers,” Miller said. “It’s a big responsibility. It’s a hard job, but it’s a fun job, and it’s extremely rewarding.”
The county is holding a summer lifeguard tryout session on Saturday, May 31, at the Port Orange YMCA from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.
If you are interested in becoming a lifeguard, more information is on the Volusia Beach Safety website.
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