Discussions surrounding a lifeguard program in South Haven was held during last night’s city council meeting.
USLA representative Chris Brewster presented to the board a comprehensive plan for a lifeguard program that included recommendations and options for staffing levels, training, equipment, supplies, and hiring cost to provide services starting Memorial Day through Labor Day.
“In terms of the big picture, we’re doing this on a voluntary basis, Brewster said. “So we want to see you succeed, and we’ll do what we can within reason to help out. What we have done in the past when a community is wanting to start up lifeguards, there are retired lifeguards who have run agencies, who have done training and so forth, and we’ve typically given those communities a list of people to talk to.”
Councilman George Sleeper commented saying he wanted to know all the costs of the program before implementing the program officially.
“The one thing city council asked for is to bring an outside concern in and give us guidance how to start a lifeguard program,” Sleeper said. “And in my opinion, we’ve had that tonight, from an agency that’s highly regarded around the country. It’s just a matter of putting numbers to it and see if it works for us.”
The city council voted no on the original motion, but made a new one instructing city staff to come back with cost of the program staffing, estimated equipment, and cost of storage of the stands for the next council meeting.
USLA recommended that there be three lifeguard towers at South Beach and two lifeguard towers at North Beach, with being on duty at each beach from 9 am to 8:30 p.m. daily, having 5 lifeguards at South Beach during, 5 at North Beach, and a chief lifeguard.
