Jacksonville Beach Ocean Rescue recruiting year-round; lifeguard academy applications open for summer

Lieutenant Matt Serbanian, lieutenant of Training and Operations for the Jacksonville Beach Ocean Rescue Division, said the agency recruits year-round and has lifeguard academy classes starting in late spring and early summer, and that now is the time to apply.

The recruitment drive matters because ocean rescue staffing supports public safety on the city's beaches during all seasons, Serbanian said. He described the work as "one of the most rewarding things," noting responders must be ready for emergencies beyond sitting in a lifeguard tower.

Serbanian outlined the prerequisites for applicants. He said candidates must be at least 16 years old, "run half a mile on the beach in under 4 minutes," and "swim 5 50 yards in a pool under 10 minutes," and must pass the agency's other prerequisite requirements and the lifeguard academy. He described professional-development opportunities available to lifeguards, including incident command, incident management, CPR, emergency medical response and first responder training, and opportunities to work with other public safety agencies.

Serbanian also pointed prospective applicants to the agency's application pages: COJB.jobs for job postings and jacksonvillebeach.org/oceanrescue for more information about Ocean Rescue and upcoming academy schedules.

The interview, conducted by a station host, lasted roughly three minutes and focused solely on recruiting and training for lifeguards. No formal actions or policy decisions were made during the recorded remarks.