LIFEGUARD CAMP GROWS
The first session of the Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue Junior Lifeguard Program proved to be so popular
this summer that it was expanded to allow more to attend.
The first of two camps, held June 26-30 on the beach strand north of Crystal Pier at Public Beach Access
No. 36, originally was limited to 30 participants, but with high demand two more instructors were added to
include some wait-listed campers. The program, created by Jeremy Owens, captain of Wrightsville’s
ocean rescue squad, maintains a ratio of one lifeguard to five campers.
“It fills up very quickly,” Owens says. “When someone has
done it once, they tell their friends, and they usually want to
do it again.”
The junior lifeguards, ages 9-17, participate in mock
rescues and learn CPR and first-aid techniques, while also learning
water and sun safety and skill-training games including running in
soft sand, water entry, swimming with a rescue buoy, getting through surf,
rolling victims onto paddleboards, and a buddy swim around Crystal Pier with
rescue buoys.
“It’s basically the same program the lifeguards do, but a junior version,”
Owens says. “We’re actually training the lifeguards of the future.”
The highlight is receiving an assignment to one of the town’s 23 lifeguard
stands where they “guard” alongside one of the WBOR lifeguards.
— Simon Gonzalez
Top to bottom: Youths at the first session of the Wrightsville
Beach Ocean Rescue Junior Lifeguard Program learn
ocean rescue techniques, lifesaving methods, and CPR.
Participants in the Junior Lifeguard Program gather at
lifeguard stand No. 11 on the first day of camp, June 26.
PHOTO BY PAT BRADFORD PHOTOS COURTESY OF 4:8 PHOTOS BY STACY SAVAGE
PHOTO BY PAT BRADFORD
16
WBM august 2017
PHOTOS COURTESY OF 4:8 PHOTOS BY STACY SAVAGE