Locals kids between the ages of 8 and 16 took part in the California State Parks North Coast Junior Lifeguards program to learn basic CPR, life saving and beach rescue techniques and improve their swimming skills this summer. California State parks North Coast Junior Lifeguards — Contributed
By Hunter Cresswell, [email protected]
From Times Standard
More than 100 local youth learned basic beach lifeguard skills during two two-week programs this past summer and the program organizer wants more students next summer with the hopes of eventually having state lifeguards on Humboldt County beaches.
Patrick’s Point-based state park ranger Keven Harder started the program in summer 2016 and said the 8- to 16-year-old students learn basic CPR, first aid and beach rescue skills while improving their swimming skills and physical fitness.
“We build from square one, which is learning how to swim out into the surf,” he said.
Students must pass a swim test at the Arcata Community Pool to qualify for the program, Harder said.
“This is not a learn-to-swim program,” he said, noting every class involves swimming off the rugged yet beautiful beaches of Humboldt County including Trinidad State Beach and Moonstone Beach.
Summer 2016 saw 51 kids enrolled and this past summer 102 kids took part, Harder said.
Arcata High School student Aidan Hasselquist, 15, took part in the 2016 course as a student and in the 2017 course as a junior instructor.
“Once they brought [the program] up to Northern California, I was really stoked. I had to do it,” he said, adding all his cousins in Southern California go through junior lifeguard programs during summers down there.