Now back in action for the summer are the lifeguards at Silver Beach County Park in St. Joseph.
Assistant Park Manager Genevieve Graves tells us they’ve had the lifeguard program at the beach since at least the 1990s, and the guards went back on duty this Monday.
How many guards do they have this year?
“Usually, we try to hire between 12 and 14,” Graves said. “This year is a very lucky year for us. We actually have way more than that. I believe we may have up to 17 guards. That’s just with some park rangers that also got certified to do some fill-in spots.”
Most of the lifeguards are college students, some of whom work at the beach full time and some part time. Graves says they do regular training with park managers, but also receive external training from experts.
“We do different mock drownings, which we do an internal one and then an external one that has like the police force and medic one comes out. And then there are also other trainings with the Coast Guard and we have the guards go out to dispatch and kind of see how that all works and go over the 800 MHz radio. So they get a lot of training from some very great professionals in the county.”
Graves says the lifeguards are all certified by the American Red Cross in first aid, and they must pass physical and written exams.
Fortunately, it’s not all that often they’re called into service in the water to help a struggling swimmer, although that does happen from time to time. Graves remembers one day about two years ago.
“They were just about to get off duty and I think they were calling everyone in to just do their closing announcements and I’m not entirely sure what happened. I think a few people just got caught in the current, but a lot of them had to respond and go into the water and actually some of the lifeguards ended up getting picked up by the Coast Guard and then getting dropped off on the pier so they could run back and assist on land.”
Graves says the lifeguards do often assist people on the beach. She asks everyone to remember the lifeguards are hardworking and dedicated members of the staff and to be kind and respectful to them. Also remember not to set up for the day immediately around the lifeguard stations.
The budget this year for the lifeguard program is 2024 $58,500. Berrien County Parks Director Jill Adams tells us most of that goes to wages. The number also reflects a reimbursement program for lifeguard certification, uniforms, annual first aid and water safety supplies, training, communication devices, and more.
