Imperial Beach junior lifeguard program reports growth; council discusses scholarships

Sergeant Adam Reit, Imperial Beach Community Safety Department, told the City Council on Sept. 3 that the 2025 junior lifeguard program ran a single, four‑week session for ages 9–17 with 55 participants and six cadet aides.

"I think we topped it this year," Reit said, summarizing outreach, interagency visits and hands‑on training the program provided. Reit described the program as a feeder to the city’s lifeguard workforce and said roughly 40% of current lifeguard staff came through the junior lifeguard pipeline.

The curriculum combined ocean‑safety instruction (rip currents, inshore holes, marine‑life awareness) with surf‑rescue competition events and life‑skills training that emphasize integrity, discipline and teamwork. Reit listed partner activities the program used to broaden experience, including boat rides and station tours with other coastal agencies and demonstrations at North Island, Del Mar and Coronado.

Council members praised the program’s educational and mentorship benefits. Council member Fisher said travel, interagency coordination and the life lessons “stick with you,” and proposed reserving two to four slots for scholarship recipients in 2026 so cost would not block participation. Fisher volunteered to help seed a small grant program to ensure applicants who cannot afford the fee have access.

Mayor Mitch McKay and others also commended the Navy and other partners for providing access to beach facilities that allow the program to operate when local beaches are restricted.

The council did not take formal action on the item but directed staff to explore scholarship options and potential nonprofit or booster‑club models to fund reserved slots for the 2026 program.