How much would you pay someone to save your life? About $17 an hour if it's a lifeguard.

Volusia County Beach Safety faced a lot of challenges in 2023.

The agency was plagued by a chronic shortage of lifeguards, a national problem, which seems to be an annual issue here.

And vicious rip currents made it a busy year for lifeguards. There were 13 drownings off Volusia beaches in 2023, the most since at least 1997. None of those victims were swimming near staffed lifeguard towers, and some had medical issues. More staffed towers can be on the beach when more lifeguards are available to work.

In addition, Beach Safety last year was adjusting to a state law that required the Volusia Sheriff's Office to take over law enforcement duties on the beaches, a move that drew controversy. Then Beach Safety Director Andy Ethridge said that the change would put public safety at risk by reducing staff.

Etheridge abruptly resigned in March of this year after over 25 years with Beach Safety. The director started out as a tower guard in 1996.

And unrelated to the lifeguard problem, this season hasn't gotten off to a great start either. On Memorial Day, a Beach Safety sergeant ran over two 18-year-old Kissimmee women sunbathing on the beach with his truck and was cited for careless driving. Their injuries were not specified but the women were in stable condition after the incident.

More guards needed

It is clear many woes would be alleviated with more lifeguards on the beach. But it's not that simple. These jobs are not so easy to fill.

When I was a kid, I didn't think much of the lifeguards who kept watch over the local pool that me and my friends swam in. Every time we broke a rule, we'd get sat down beside the guard chair. I don't think I ever saw a rescue.

The challenges that face our beach lifeguards are a far cry from those faced by the imperious teens who kept an eye on our small neighborhood swimming pool. Beach Safety lifeguards complete boater rescues up to three miles offshore and make about 3,000 ocean rescues each year.

In an effort to draw more candidates, the county has raised the starting pay for lifeguards to $17 per hour. And new recruits can earn up to $1,750 in bonuses.

But the job requirements are tough. In addition to 48 hours of ocean rescue training, 44 hours of emergency medical responder classes, and a CPR course, candidates must be able to swim 500 meters freestyle in under 10 minutes, 50 yards freestyle in under 30 seconds, and run a half-mile in under 3 minutes and 15 seconds.

Special applicants required

What kind of person would go through all this for $17 per hour?

Sheldon Gardner, in her excellent story on the lives of our lifesavers, spent time with some lifeguards and learned it wasn't about the money. It's more about the passion for the job and saving lives. Sheldon shadowed Sarah Monette, a senior ocean lifeguard.

"I think I'm really lucky to be a young person that has something to care about," Monette said. "This really is like a special job for a special type of people."

Another lifeguard told Sheldon what is so great is the feeling he gets when he saves a life.

So maybe the county should change up its advertising strategy and focus more on the non-financial benefits of the job. And this may sound crazy, but local law enforcement agencies seem to be on television all the time. How about a reality show about lifeguards? I'd watch it.

So as of May 28th, the county had 53 full-time lifeguards and 167 part-time lifeguards on the payroll, Interim Beach Safety Director Tammy Malphurs said. She said the Sunday before Memorial Day, she saw some of the largest crowds in years. She feels confident.

"So I expect our summer to be about the same," she told Sheldon. "And, you know, our personnel are ready for it. We're ready for the busy season and the water rescues."

And after learning about the people we entrust our lives with when we go in the ocean, I am inclined to believe her. And remember, always swim near a manned lifeguard tower!

John Dunbar is executive editor of the Daytona Beach News-Journal.