SWAMPSCOTT — As the summer season approaches, Swampscott officials are expanding how the town approaches beach safety, with plans to add lifeguard coverage, introduce new training requirements, and host a public event focused on water safety.
Recreation Director Charlotte Daher de Garcia is spending her first full summer in the position. She said the changes are aimed at strengthening preventative safety measures during the busiest months on the waterfront.
One of the most noticeable shifts this summer will be expanded lifeguard coverage. While the town has historically staffed Eisman’s Beach and Phillip’s Beach, the Rec Department is planning to add lifeguards at Fisherman’s Beach as well, bringing coverage to another of Swampscott’s most heavily used shoreline areas.
The town hires all of its lifeguards through the Recreation Department, with coverage expected to run daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Alongside that expansion, the department is also introducing a new training requirement for all lifeguards.
“All lifeguards hired this summer are going to have an added layer of waterfront training,” Daher de Garcia said. “We’re doing that this year for the first time.”
The additional training, which will be conducted in partnership with Wicked Safety Training and the Swampscott Police Department, will take place on the beach and focus on conditions specific to Swampscott’s coastline. Daher de Garcia said the change is intended as a preventative step towards safer beaches.
Lifeguards will still be required to obtain standard certifications, including a lifeguard certification from the American Red Cross, YMCA, or the Boy Scouts of America as well as a standard First Aid and CPR/AED certification.
The town appears to be entering the season in a strong position when it comes to staffing. “We got enough — I think we’re looking pretty good,” Daher de Garcia said.
While communities across the country have struggled to fully staff their pools and beaches in recent years, Daher de Garcia said Swampscott has not seen those same challenges, aside from a typical late-summer drop-off when student workers return to school.
In addition to changes on the staffing and training side, the Recreation Department is also planning a new public event aimed at connecting residents with the people and organizations involved in beach safety.
Swampscott will host its first Water Safety Day on May 15 from 3 to 5 p.m. at Fisherman’s Beach, with a rain location at the Swampscott Yacht Club. The event will coincide with National Water Safety Month.
“That’s going to be an opportunity for residents to meet the lifeguards, and meet with folks from the Police Department. That includes the harbormaster,” Daher de Garcia said. The event will also include representatives from the Yacht Club, Friends of Swampscott Sailing, the Recreation Department, and more.
Daher de Garcia said the event is designed to give residents a better understanding of how safety is managed along the shoreline, while also providing an early-season introduction to the lifeguards who will be on duty throughout the summer.
