South Walton Fire District opens 19th lifeguard tower
SOUTH WALTON, Fla. (WMBB) – In opening its 19th lifeguard tower on Tuesday, June 10, the South Walton Fire District is now the professional beach safety services provider for WaterSound Beach.
According to a SWFD Facebook post, the tower is funded through a contractual agreement between SWFD and St. Joe Resort Operations, LLC, alongside support from the WaterSound Beach Homeowners Association.
Lynn Haven official advocates for senior-friendly USPS drop box
Officials said adding a tower means enhancing beach safety services in what lifeguards have historically considered the 'Seven Mile Stretch,' a name derived from the area of South Walton beaches where there are no on-site lifeguard coverage, emergency access challenges and consistently high-call volume.
'The seven miles can tax our resources quickly, but frankly it isn't just about emergency responses to any of the unguarded beaches,' said SWFD Beach Safety Director David Vaughan. 'The absence of official lifeguard services means it's more challenging to educate face-to-face and prevent emergencies from happening altogether. The bulk of what we do is prevention, but without the opportunity to have a presence, prevention doesn't happen as easily.'
The South Walton Fire District has added four towers since the start of the 2025 Beach Safety Season and are continually hiring seasonal and full-time lifeguards of all experience levels.
To apply, click here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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South Walton Fire District opens 19th lifeguard tower
SOUTH WALTON, Fla. (WMBB) – In opening its 19th lifeguard tower on Tuesday, June 10, the South Walton Fire District is now the professional beach safety services provider for WaterSound Beach. According to a SWFD Facebook post, the tower is funded through a contractual agreement between SWFD and St. Joe Resort Operations, LLC, alongside support from the WaterSound Beach Homeowners Association. Lynn Haven official advocates for senior-friendly USPS drop box Officials said adding a tower means enhancing beach safety services in what lifeguards have historically considered the 'Seven Mile Stretch,' a name derived from the area of South Walton beaches where there are no on-site lifeguard coverage, emergency access challenges and consistently high-call volume. 'The seven miles can tax our resources quickly, but frankly it isn't just about emergency responses to any of the unguarded beaches,' said SWFD Beach Safety Director David Vaughan. 'The absence of official lifeguard services means it's more challenging to educate face-to-face and prevent emergencies from happening altogether. The bulk of what we do is prevention, but without the opportunity to have a presence, prevention doesn't happen as easily.' The South Walton Fire District has added four towers since the start of the 2025 Beach Safety Season and are continually hiring seasonal and full-time lifeguards of all experience levels. To apply, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
