“ We try and fill those ranks because that ’ s what it takes to put 100 lifeguards out there every day in the summer ,” said Ethridge of the seasonal positions . “ Forty-seven miles , 10 to 11 million visitors and we ’ re a year-round operation . A lot of times , people don ’ t understand what we do and how extensive our operation is .”
“ We consistently track performance metrics across all aspects of our operation ,” he said . “ Last year , we responded to nearly 65,000 calls for service , had over 35,000 preventative lifeguard actions and rescued 2,951 people from the ocean ; 88 % of those were due to rip currents ,” he said .
Serving the public while maximizing the $ 9,286,206 budget , VCBS has worked closely with county staff to implement an expanded network of beach cameras and enhance the visitor experience with a state-of-the-art beaches mobile app , providing users with the latest information ranging from beach access and closures , to beach driving , daily safety reports and more .
Tying into the agency ’ s rigorous standards of excellence , Ethridge and his team frequently collaborate with organizations like the United States Lifesaving Association , hosting the USLA National Championships in 2015 and 2017 , while working closely with other agencies like Halifax Health to help train junior lifeguards and the public on water safety .
The VCBS team envisions a future facility in Volusia County dedicated to water safety , training and continuing education .
“ I want to expand our influence on water safety , community involvement and drowning prevention ,” said Ethridge , discussing statistics .
“ We ’ re the experts in water safety . We ’ re the best in the business . We should be the people they come to to prevent drowning and water accidents .”
Be Smart : Swim Near a Lifeguard … While shark bites near the New Smyrna Beach jetty attract attention , Deputy Chief Malphurs says there are bigger fish to fry when it comes to beach safety .
“ We had 16 shark bites last year with zero fatalities , but we rescue about 3,000 people from rip currents each year and usually have about 5-6 drownings ; these are usually in unguarded areas . This is why it is so important to swim in front of a lifeguard ,” she said , looking ahead to National Beach Safety Week ’ s campaign “ Swim Near A Lifeguard ,” launching statewide May 23-30 .
“ We try to do a lot of outreach wherever we can in the community . The ultimate goal is drowning prevention ,” said Ethridge .
For more information , visit volusia . org / beach or call 386-239- 6414 .
Some of Volusia ’ s Notable Lifeguards :
• Charles “ Billy ” Willits was the Chief of Daytona Beach Police .
• Jim Willets was the former Volusia County Assistant County Manager and Public Protection Director .
• Paul Rice is a local attorney .
• Bob Wheeler was the former assistant state attorney and a principal at a couple local high schools .
• Shelly Rossmeyer Pepe is the GM of Bruce Rossmeyer ’ s Daytona Harley Davidson .
• Dr . Kelly Molpus is a multi-board certified gynecologic oncologist .
• Melissa Burt DeVriese is the CEO of Security First Insurance Corp .
• Dr . Carl Lentz is a board certifided physician and noted plastic surgeon .
• Ted Serbousek is co-owner of Ritchey Cadillac .
• Maggie Low Spencer is a local veterinarian at
Ravenwood Veterinary Clinic .
• Richard Brown is owner of Hayward Brown Realtors .
• Aaron Kilman is the owner of Aaron Kilman Jewelers .
• Aubrie Lemon is a model and actress .
• Ted Cassady played Lurch on The Adams Family .
Danielle Anderson has worked in the public relations and media industry for a decade . She started her career as a reporter for Flagler Broadcasting where she discovered her passion for telling the stories of communities in Florida .
EVOLVE-SUCCESS . COM MAY 2022 | 19 |