BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – Brevard County will spend nearly $900,000 to staff some south county beaches with lifeguards all year and not just during certain seasons.
A vote Tuesday from county commissioners follows nearly 400 emergency rip-current rescues in recent months, according to Commissioner John Tobia.
“I’m with you. We have to get lifeguards on the beach,” commission chair Rita Pritchett said in support.
After reporting more drownings this year than any other county in Florida, the commission voted unanimously to keep a lifeguard tower year-round at Indialantic’s boardwalk and North Spessard Holland Park in Melbourne Beach.
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Tobia’s motion also included adding seasonal lifeguard towers to Ponce de Leon Landing.
“It’s very apparent that lifeguards work,” Tobia said. “There have been zero drownings at lifeguard-protected beaches during operational hours.”
After a few years of lifeguard shortages, Brevard Fire Rescue Chief Patrick Voltaire told commissioners the county has rebounded to around 75 seasonal lifeguards which is close to the number it had before the pandemic started.
Tobia said the county pays for more than 90% of providing lifeguards, even if they’re working on beaches incorporated within the beachside municipalities.
“I totally agree with Commissioner Tobia. There’s going to have to be a time that the cities pick up the slack or pick up the expense,” Commissioner Tom Goodson said.
With their vote, the county will start negotiating annual service contracts with beachside towns and cities.
On rough days in the water, like Tuesday, the Nurse family in Indialantic asked that swimmers be extra careful.
“I think more lifeguards would help but I also just think people being aware of their surroundings and listening and heeding to the warnings could do a lot more,” Tiffany Nurse said.
Tuesday’s vote directs county staff to begin upgrading the seasonal lifeguard towers to year-round as soon as possible.
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