Donations from Del Mar Rotarians Equip Del Mar Lifeguard Surf Rescue Team

Instead of our usual meeting site at St. Peter’s, Del Mar Rotarians and guests met at the Powerhouse Community Center off the Del Mar beach. The location was in keeping with the speaker, Mark Rathsam, the Deputy Chief of the Community Services Department in Del Mar.   The Community Services Department oversees Del Mar Lifeguard Services, facility use permits for the city’s parks and beach area, as well as Parking Enforcement and Park Ranger Operations.  Del Mar’s lifeguards stay busy- in 2016 they conducted over 600 ocean rescues, more than 8,000 “safety contacts” (e.g., swimmer in distress), and provided ~900 medical aids.  Most importantly, in 2016 there were no drownings.  In addition to rescues, Del Mar lifeguards provide safety education, offer surf camps, and oversee the Jr. Lifeguard program- our Speaker’s Chair Brett Mattei got his start in lifeguarding through this program.

 

The rescue dive team was founded nearly 20 years ago, but their outdated equipment was a potential safety concern. In 2016 the Rotary Club of Del Mar donated gear that improved rescue diver communications, navigation, and personal safety.  This year the club made a donation of $5,300 that will help the lifeguards reach their goal of having 12 sets of identical gear- the standardization will simplify maintenance and repair, and also ensure that each team member uses the same equipment. Del Mar lifeguard Hailey Horan joined Mark to demonstrate the new equipment, which includes a dive computer that lets lifeguards monitor at a glance their bearings, depth and air supply. 

 

At the end of the meeting, several Del Mar Rotarians rode in the surf rescue boat. Channel 8 news reporter Brandon Lewis also played a surfer in distress in a mock rescue.  A story on the surf rescue team appeared on the May 18, 2017 broadcast.