Jr. Lifeguards: Fun Ocean Safety:

Living by the beach is a great thing. In fact, most people wish they lived by the beach. Here in Southern California, the beach is home, and being on the beach is a favorite activity. Ocean safety is something everybody living in Santa Monica and surrounding areas should know. The Jr. Lifeguard program does exactly that for kids.Every summer the Life Guards of Los Angeles County put on a program called, “Jr. Lifeguards”. This program is designed to teach both boys and girls ocean safety, how to be a lifeguard (if that’s what they want), and how to have fun on the beach.The number one danger in the ocean most of the time is not knowing what is going on in the water beneath you and how to react if one is caught in a rip tide, undertow, etc; With the number one cause of death in the water being drowning, educating yourself and more importantly your children is the best thing you can do when sending your loved ones into the water.The Jr. Lifeguards program consists of exercise, ocean safety, and recreation time where children can swim, surf, body board, or whatever their little heart desires. The Jr. Lifeguard program is hosted on a plethora of beaches in the Los Angeles area. A few of which are:-Santa Monica at Tower 8-Venice at Avenue 26-Will Rogers at Tower 15-Zuma at Tower 9The Jr. Lifeguard program takes kids from ages 9-17 years old, and groups them in categories A,B,C according to age, so that each group has a program tailored to their age and ability. Before entering into the program however each child is required to take a swim test to ensure basic water abilities. The swim tests are conducted in swimming pools around the city. The Jr. Lifeguard programs are currently registering for the summer 2009 sessions. To get more information go to lacountylifeguards.org. There you will find information regarding cost, time, swim tests, and location. Enjoy the summer at the beach, and remember – be safe!