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| Huntington State Lifeguard History |
| Aquatic safety in parks dates back to the earliest days of our department. The first wardens, custodians or rangers no doubt thought about seasonal water flow and levels, and the dangers in the rivers, streams, lakes, waterfalls in their parklands. They knew safe crossings, the impacts of flooding, the good fishing spots, and picnic spots where wading pools might be. As appropriate, they had tools like canoes, rowboats, lines and even grappling hooks. |
| Wherever we came in contact with water, we had to deal with the potential dangers associated with this dynamic element. The use of lifeguards on beaches in California began in the late 1930’s. The beach was inexpensive recreation in the post Depression era. Communities grew around seasonal beach attendance. Transportation improvements made the beach accessible to the inland communities. The influx of swimmers into the surf-zone in Southern California lead to drowning on a sometimes massive scale: • Early 1900’s Newport Beach - 18 drowned in one weekend early 1900’s • 1918 - San Diego 13 people drowned in one day As a response, municipalities developed lifeguard services modeled after east coast lifeguard operations. Numerous beaches had “swim lines” or “lifelines” which were ropes attached to shore that waders clung to. However, lifelines proved inadequate because struggling swimmers were not always able to hold onto them. Some municipalities assigned police officers, or asked volunteers to perform water rescues. Early lifeguard rescue tools included the use of row boats (dory boats), the rescue paddle board, and throw-lines. Swimming rescues were considered a last resort by these pioneer lifeguards due to the hazard presented by a panicked person in the water. |
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| Californians recognized that private ownership of beaches had serious drawbacks and supported bond issues that allowed the Division of Beaches and Parks to acquire significant coastal parcel for public ownership. The bonds provided some development support but beaches were primarily held in local control through operating agreements (LA County). Acquisition efforts focused around urban areas. Simultaneously, the Division of Beaches and Parks began building campgrounds along the coast as CCC projects. Notably, Doheny and San Clemente State Beaches, midway between Los Angeles and San Diego were constructed in the ‘30s. A 1937 news article stated these would become the Jewels of the Division of Beaches and Parks. They both became instantly popular and the immediate need for lifeguard service was met with a contract to the county of Orange to put a lifeguard at each beach in the summer. Post WWII saw the next boom in recreational demand and State Parks embarked upon the new concept of developing day use areas. Huntington State Beach and Silver Strand State Beach were developed as first class facilities in urban zones designed for high volume attendance and activity. Both parks had dangerous surf aspects with an acknowledged need for lifeguard service. After exploring the possibility of contracting with adjacent communities, a decision was made that Parks could create their own lifeguard services. Timeline of Lifeguarding History: 1938 Doheny, San Clemente State Beaches have lifeguard services provided by county of Orange. 1950 State begins development and operation of Huntington State Beach. Division of Beaches and Parks explores concept of contracting lifeguard service at the newly developed park but elects to start own service after consulting with lifeguard services up and down the coast. Robert Isenor, a former Newport City Lifeguard is hired as a seasonal employee to develop the first State Lifeguard program. He hired 17 seasonal lifeguards, who worked out of ten towers with no phones or radios and were supported by one jeep. State Lifeguards performed 27 swimmer rescues that first summer. Beach attendance was 211,000 that year. |
| Lifeguards going over the days assignments. State Lifeguard jeep in the foreground. |
| 1962
Lifeguard testing and training is formalized to include 1000 yard swim, 600 yard run-swim-run and 20 hours of in-service first aid and rescue instruction. Training was held at each park unit. |
| 1964
Lifeguard Rescue Boat “Surfwatch” launched & makes dramatic mass rescue of 36 victims from one rip current at Huntington State Beach. Second Rescue Boat, “Sea Ranger” is launched at Salton Sea: lifeguards provide six months of service at Salton Sea. |
| Late Sixties
Department creates Aquatic Specialist and Lifeguard Supervisor positions. California State Lifeguard Association is formed. Lifeguards successfully lobby for Safety Retirement. Formal statewide Lifeguard Training is instituted at Huntington for all new lifeguards. State Parks develops the first planned recreation area at Lake Perris. Isenor continued directing lifeguard services for 33 years, retiring in 1983. At one time there were a total of four Aquatic Specialists coordinating the programs throughout the state. Today there is one Specialist assigned the oversight for the entire Park System. 1973 Isenor pushes to have the Permanent Lifeguard series included in the peace officer training and California State Parks becomes the first agency in the nation to have armed lifeguards with full peace officer powers. 1983 – 1984 Due to the high turnover of Ranger personnel assigned to Huntington and Bolsa Chica State Beaches, positions are converted to the Lifeguard series and Lifeguards are given the responsibility of operating one of the largest beach operations--day and night. 1987 In response to growing a boom in population, dramatic increases in recreation usage, and numerous drownings along the Central and Northern California coastline, a budget change proposal is approved that places lifeguards along the Russian River coastal area, more than doubles the size of the Santa Cruz seasonal lifeguard operation, and places two permanent lifeguards in the Monterey District. Spring 1995 Los Angeles County threatens to remove their lifeguard operation from State Beaches in Los Angeles County. State lifeguards performed the single most historic marshalling of lifeguard resources in California history in May 1995, when the County of Los Angeles removed their lifeguard service from eight State owned, but County operated beaches. State Lifeguards served 14,000,000 visitors, performing over 4,000 rescues on those beaches and had no drownings that summer California State Parks now operates one of the largest professional lifeguard services in the world, with more than 600 seasonal and 70 full time lifeguards and supervisors. The service spans more than 600 miles of diverse coastline from the Sonoma Coast to the Mexican Border, and inland bodies of water from Folsom and Clear Lake to Lake Perris and Silverwood. State lifeguards annually perform more than 10,000 swimmer rescues, save millions of dollars of boater property; perform 6,000 medical aides, swift water rescues, urban flood rescues, technical cliff rescues and the full range of law enforcement duties. 2001 California State Parks celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the State Lifeguard service. A commemorative badge is approved in honor of the occasion. Though technology has changed, and lifeguarding methods have evolved since the 1950’s, the primary mission of the lifeguard has remained the same: Saving lives! |
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| 1951
Silver Strand State Beach is opened and Isenor coordinates hiring of seasonal lifeguards for this operation. 1952 San Clemente State Beach is now guarded by two seasonal lifeguards. First use of mobile radio at Huntington. 1953 Robert Isenor is appointed in first full time lifeguard classification as District Lifeguard Supervisor with a starting pay of $341 per month. Summertime beach operations are coordinated by Seasonal Beach Lifeguard Supervisors at each park unit. The Boy Scout National Jamboree brings 14,000 scouts to Huntington State Beach and Isenor’s crew is acknowledged in Life Magazine for their outstanding safety record during this event (no drownings). 1954 Service started at Ventura and Carpentaria. Isenor is designated as first Lifeguard Peace Officer, July ’54. 1955 State provides two seasonal lifeguards at Carlsbad State Beach and begins own service at Doheny. 1956 First requests for a Permanent Lifeguard Classification initiated. Positions requested for Carlsbad, Doheny, Silver Strand and the Salton Sea. 1957 State considers providing service at Folsom, Pajaro, Stinson and Half Moon Bay. Permanent Lifeguard Classification established. Folsom, Santa Cruz and Stinson get seasonal guards. 1958 Department develops an Aquatic Safety Program, tasking every park unit in the state to identify its aquatic recreation resources and hazards. Seasonal lifeguards provided at Torrey Pines. First budget request for a rescue boat at Huntington State Beach. Mel Tubbs become first Department sanctioned SCUBA Diver at Huntington. First Seasonal lifeguards provided at El Capitan. 1960 Lifeguard Service starts at Bolsa Chica State Beach (once known as “Tin Can Beach” before work crews cleaned it up! See pictures below). |
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| Above: Surf Watch Rescue boat. Right: High speed dropoff from surfwatch. |
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