Southern California lifeguards responded to an unprecedented number of rescues in July, as a combination of dangerous swells, hurricane surf, and unpredictable sneaker waves battered the coastline. Los Angeles County lifeguards reported an "almost historic number" of rescues over a single weekend, describing the month's activity as "nuts" and the largest they could recall.
Lifeguards in Los Angeles County performed more than 2,600 ocean rescues in July alone. Between July 24 and 26, 1,950 rescues were conducted across the county's 72 miles of beaches, with an additional 700 rescues occurring the following weekend. This brought the county's total ocean rescues for the year to at least 9,000.
Orange County also experienced a high volume of incidents. The City of Huntington lifeguards doubled tower staffing in high-density areas and deployed additional rescue boats and jet skis to manage the demand. Despite these measures, 152 rescues were required in a single day, along with four boat rescues and 14 missing person calls. San Clemente State Beach lifeguards reported that approximately 96% of ocean rescues involved rip current extractions. They also prevented nearly 8,000 incidents through preventative actions guiding beachgoers to safe zones.
In San Diego County, lifeguards at Windansea Beach performed 107 water rescues in a single day during a July heatwave. Oceanside lifeguards dealt with dangerous conditions including solid south swells and a heat advisory during the last weekend of July. Santa Barbara County lifeguards performed 10 water rescues across Goleta Beach, Arroyo Burro Beach, and Jalama Beach in July.
Lifeguards are advising beachgoers to stay safe by checking in with lifeguards for current ocean conditions and swimming in front of a lifeguard tower. The buddy system is also recommended, along with close supervision of children. For those caught in a rip current, the advice is to remain calm, float on your back, move with the current or swim parallel to shore, and signal for help. Officials also cautioned against underestimating the ocean's power, emphasizing that waves can appear without warning, and advised beachgoers never to turn their backs to the sea.