SANTA ROSA BEACH, Fla. — The South Walton Fire District Junior Lifeguard Program returns for Summer 2025 with approximately 200 participants ready to learn what it takes to work as a surf rescue professional along the Emerald Coast.

The program begins Tuesday, June 10, with a dual-curriculum approach, creating a fun and welcoming environment for both first-time and returning Juniors.

“The two curriculums are already paying dividends for both the community and our program,” said SWFD Junior Lifeguard Program Coordinator Brandon Brown. “The Foundations sessions give new Juniors the opportunity to learn core lifeguarding skills and walk away better educated about beach safety. Our Advanced sessions take those lessons to the next level, creating a pipeline for Juniors to become professional lifeguards with us once they turn 17. We’re finding this is a great formula for both public education and recruitment.”

SWFD Beach Safety staff will train four total groups of Junior Lifeguards throughout June and July. Participants will spend their days at the beach honing the imperative skills of open water swimming, CPR and first aid, conducting water rescues, rip current identification, drowning prevention, beach warning flag comprehension, and more.

The Juniors program first began in 2008 thanks to buy-in from a small group of South Walton residents, but it has since developed into a premier beach safety education initiative, reaching hundreds of children aged 9 to 16-years-old every summer.

“Juniors fits the mold on why we matter for this community and shows how far we have come in creating longevity for ourselves in 20 seasons of operations,” said SWFD Beach Safety Director David Vaughan. “We’ve experienced tremendous growth so far this year adding new towers, now it’s time for the Juniors to bring the energy and make 2025 even more worth celebrating. We know they are hungry to be back out there, and we can’t wait to see them.”

SWFD will release further information and photos once the program is underway. Media inquiries related to this release should be directed to the SWFD PIO.