Seal Beach Cancels Junior Lifeguard Program For 2020

SEAL BEACH, CA — There will be no Junior Lifeguard Program in Seal Beach this summer, the city reported. Concerns of spreading the coronavirus caused the City of Seal Beach to pause the program for this year.

The city proclaimed a local emergency in order to protect public health and slow the rate of transmission of COVID-19. As such, the fate of the Junior Lifeguard program has been on hold over the last two months. Unfortunately, after careful consideration by City staff and after taking all current information into account, a decision has been made to cancel the 2020 Junior Lifeguard program.

This decision has not been made lightly, as the program has been a long standing “rite of passage” in the City of Seal Beach.

Participants in the 2019 program will maintain their priority registration status for the 2021 program. Each child will still be required to pass a swim test in 2021.

“We waited as long as possible to make this decision in the hopes things would change,” said Seal Beach Marine Safety Chief Joe Bailey. “It was a difficult decision and we wanted to give participants and their families as much notice as possible. Our goal is to remain responsive to the community’s needs and to ensure the safety, security,
health for all in Seal Beach.”

Questions about the Seal Beach Marine Safety Junior Lifeguard Program can be emailed to juniorlifeguard@sealbeachca.gov, or by calling (562) 431-2527 ext. 1206 to reach the Junior Lifeguard desk.