T
he beach life is one filled with playing with
friends and family along the shores, building
sandcastles, and frolicking in the waves.
There are a few special people who make
this carefree lifestyle possible; they are the Lifeguards.
Destin Fire has led a Junior Lifeguard Program for the
past 12 years. This incredible program offers youth
ages 8 through 15 the opportunity to become a coveted
Junior Lifeguard. The program started out with 40
students and grew to 120. An average class has around
60 students who are completely focused on learning
lifeguarding techniques over the course of an eight-
week period. The summer program teaches youth a
variety of important skills including First Aid, CPR &
AED training. In addition to these useful skills they
are also taught to identify marine life and achieve water
awareness. The program has grown and evolved over the
years. The courses began at June White Decker Park,
then James Lee Park, and are now held at Henderson
Beach Park.
Along with the lifesaving skills these youth learn,
the class also takes field trips around the beautiful
Emerald Coast to further their education. The Junior
Lifeguards visit The Okaloosa Island Fishing Pier, go
SCUBA diving with Emerald Coast Scuba, and tour
Destin Fire Station 9. The students who are back for
their second and multiple years, the Lifeguards In
Training, also get to venture out aboard a fisher charter
and have some fun at local spots like Big Kahunas and
The Track. The Junior Lifeguard Program is near and
dear to the hearts of many, including the Beach Safety
Division Chief of the Destin Fire Control District, Joe
D’Agostino, who recalled one of his favorite memories
during the first year of the program. On the first day
of class there was some tropical weather in the Gulf
that created a good-sized wave on the beach. “Due to a
recent drowning at the time, the parents and guardians
were fearful of allowing children in the Gulf. After 8
weeks of working with the kids we had surf again on the
last day of the program. Kids were body surfing and
paddle boarding in what was once considered conditions
to fear,” said Joe. “The culture at the time
was if red flags were present, people should
stay at home. While we always encourage
our visitors and non-experienced surfers
or swimmers to stay out during red flag
conditions, this need not be the case for
trained individuals. California, Hawaii,
and Australia all experience surf on a daily
basis,” Joe described. He believes that by
exposing local youth to these conditions in a
safe manner, kids can learn how to recreate
these behaviors in a surf environment. They
learn to respect, and not fear, the Gulf, rip
currents, and waves. This is the mindset that
we should all adopt when hitting the beach
this summer. Let’s keep it safe and have
some fun in the sun!
story by
Courtney Murray
| photos provided by
Destin Lifeguards
Spa & Resort Profile
Junior Lifeguards
32 | VIPDestinMagazine.com
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