With the approval and support of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, the Los Angeles County Fire Department plans to safely reopen a modified version of its Junior Lifeguard Program this summer.

Offered to all children, ages 9 through 17, in Los Angeles County, JLP is designed to instruct youth in beach and ocean skills. JLP provides instruction in water safety, swimming, body surfing, surfing, physical conditioning, competition skills, first aid, lifesaving rescue techniques, CPR, and use of professional lifesaving equipment.

The Board of Supervisors approved a motion by Fourth District Supervisor Janice Hahn on February 9, 2021, which requested a detailed report on the reopening of the program.

The completed report outlines how to safely resume the JLP, and includes safety protocols that will be implemented to meet the current Department of Public Health Officer Order for COVID-19.

Those precautions include:

– Reducing the student-to-instructor ratio of 20:1 which will allow for 3,100 JLP participants, compared to previous pre-pandemic programs which allowed for up to 4,300 participants with a 30:1 ratio.
– Requiring and enforcing instructors and students to wear face coverings at all times, except during swimming and eating/drinking.
– Maintaining physical distancing of a minimum of six feet as well reminding participants on best practices to prevent infection and promote proper hygiene.
– Performing health and temperature screenings of instructors and participants at the start of each day.

Returning participants can expect to receive an e-mail from the JLP to begin registration on Tuesday, March 16, 2021. New JLP applications will be available through the LACoFD website starting Thursday, April 1, 2021. The Department will also be conducting outreach in untapped Los Angeles County communities that have been underrepresented in the past.

Additional information regarding this summer’s modified JLP will be available on the LACoFD website by clicking [here], beginning Tuesday, March 16, 2021.

If you have any questions, please contact the LACoFD Junior Lifeguard administration at (310) 939-7214 or via e-mail at fire-juniorlifeguards@fire.lacounty.gov.

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The Los Angeles County Fire Department Foundation supports lifesaving programs throughout the region. To be a part of our team, learn more, or donate, visit SupportLACountyFire.org.