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Frequently Asked Questions

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Some locations will vary and may not offer classes in the afternoon or Session 2.

  • Avalon, Catalina
  • Cabrillo Beach
  • Torrance Beach
  • Redondo Beach at Avenue A
  • Tim Kelly (TK) at 2nd Street, Hermosa Beach
  • Hermosa 14th at Hermosa Pier
  • Manhattan at Marine Street
  • El Segundo at the Jetty
  • Venice at Venice Blvd. North
  • Santa Monica at Tower 26
  • Will Rogers at Temescal Canyon
  • Zuma Beach
  • RETURNING JUNIOR LIFEGUARDS
    • A Returning Junior Lifeguard has successfully completed the 2022 program.
  • PROSPECTIVE JUNIOR LIFEGUARDS
    • New Junior Lifeguards who have not participated before
    • Required to swim the 100 yards freestyle in under the the required time for their age group at one of our LACoFD JG designated swim tests

NEW JUNIOR LIFEGURD APPLICATION:

  • All youth in LA County ages 9-17 are eligible to apply.
  • New JG information is posted on our website each January/February.
  • Required to swim the 100 yards freestyle in under the required time for their age group at one of our LACoFD JG designated swim tests

Summer 2023 Dates are

  • Session 1: Monday, June 19 – Friday, July 14
  • Session 2: Monday, July 17 – Friday, August 11

Participants can choose between two four-week sessions (S1 or S2) with a morning (AM) or afternoon (PM) class time

  • Morning (AM) class is from 8:30-11:30am
  • Afternoon (PM) class is from 1:30pm-4:30pm

New Junior Lifeguards must attend a LACoFD Junior Lifeguard Tryout and pass a 100-yard swim test under*:

  • 1:50.00 for ages 9-11 as of 7/1/23 – “C” Age Group
  • 1:40.00 for ages 12-13 as of 7/1/23 – “B” Age Group
  • 1:30.00 for ages 14-17 as of 7/1/23 – “A” Age Group

*Swim times are determined by the age group a child will be participating in during the program, NOT the current age of the applicant. For example, if an applicant is 11 years old on the date of the tryout, but will turn 12 on or before July 1st, they are considered a “B”, not a “C”, and must pass the required “B” swim time.

NOTE: This information is provided to Junior Lifeguards who successfully completed the 2022 Summer Program. Parents can expect Returning JG registration to be between February and March of any given year.

All eligible returning Junior Lifeguards (JGs) will have the opportunity to reserve their EXACT SAME ENROLLMENT as selected from last year, 2022, through the online Returning Junior Lifeguard Registration. Information will be emailed to the JG’s primary email account in early spring 2023.

Returning Junior Lifeguard is NOT first come, first serve. Parents will have the entire window to use this system to accept, modify, or decline a student’s enrollment.

Returning JGs who do NOT want to return to their previous enrollment may decline their Priority Registration enrollment.

Any Returning JG who declines their priority enrollment will have the option to modify an aspect of enrollment (session/location/class time) using Modified Registration. If you decline your priority enrollment by opting for modified registration, you are forfeiting your Priority Enrollment spot.

Modified Registration will take place once JGs who chose Priority Registration are enrolled. This will take place in order of a Returning JG’s Randomly Generated Selection Number (RGS#). This number is assigned in our system to all returning JGs and used only for those opting to modify their enrollment.

Beach availability cannot be guaranteed.

The 2023 Registration dates for Returning Junior Lifeguards are February 15 - March 15. Information will be emailed to the primary email account.

The following are the 2023 age groups:

  • “C” (age 9-11 as of July 1, 2023)
  • “B” (age 12-13 as of July 1, 2023)
  • “A” (age 14-17 as of July 1, 2023)

The 2023 swim test dates are scheduled!

  • Swim Test #1 – Saturday, March 25, 2023 @ Mira Costa High School
  • Swim Test #2 – Sunday, April 2, 2023 @ Palisades Charter High School
  • Swim Test #3 – Saturday, April 15, 2023 @ Torrance Aquatic Center
  • Swim Test #4 – Sunday, April 16, 2023 @ Greater Whittier Regional Aquatic Center *morning only

Sign-ups for swim tests are required. Swim test sign-ups will open mid-late February via an online registration system.

It is NOT permitted to create multiple accounts for one child or to attend multiple swim tests. If you have any questions about signing up, please contact the JG Office at (310)939-7214.

All applicants will be assigned a randomly generated selection number (RGS#) once all swim tests have been completed and enrollment will occur in this order. WHAT SWIM TEST YOU ATTEND WILL NOT AFFECT YOUR ENROLLMENT ORDER.

Any Junior Lifeguard who successfully completed the 2022 Junior Lifeguard Program will be accepted into the 2023 program.

If your child’s last participated was in Junior Lifeguards in 2021 or prior, you will need to apply online for the program and pass the swim test.

For the pool swim tryout: a lightweight, racing-style swimsuit (a.k.a. “Speedos” or jammers because baggy suits make for slow times), a cap (to keep the hair out of their eyes), goggles (test day is not the day to try a new pair), and a towel.

For a day at Junior Lifeguards: a uniform (provided), towel, sunscreen, hat, water, and a healthy snack.

  • Meet instructor at drop-off location
  • Take roll
  • Warm-up
  • Water event “buoy swim”
  • Take places/de-brief event
  • Snack/re-hydrate/re-apply sunscreen
  • Ocean/lifeguard-related discussion
  • Skills training
  • Game (time permitting)
  • Pack up/upcoming event reminder
  • Release at pick-up location

*Junior Lifeguards are expected to complete a buoy swim every day. This requires them to swim head-down freestyle continuously in and out of the surf with lifeguard supervision.

Our absence policy states that participants are able to miss up to five (5) days of the program without needing to re-test at one of our pool swim tests the following year.

If a participant misses ten (10) or more days, they will automatically be required to re-test the following year.

If a participant misses between six (6) and nine (9) days of the program, it is up to the Junior Lifeguard instructor’s discretion as to whether the participant successfully completed the program requirements.

Due to the impacted nature of the Junior Lifeguard Program and the class size limits for safety purposes, make-ups for absences at a different beach, time, or session are NOT permitted.

After the first day of the program, individual beach instructors handle attendance. All absences must be excused with a note to your child’s instructor.

If the absence is known in advance, please send a parent/guardian note with your child prior to the absence. Otherwise, provide the note upon your child’s return to the program. Please do NOT e-mail absence notes to the office.

If a child must be removed from the program due to COVID-19 related absences, a waiver for the following year will be granted upon email request at the time of the JG’s absence(s). This includes a known or suspected exposure, or a positive COVID-19 test result.

If your child needs to arrive late to the program, please send a note with them to excuse the late arrival. Keep in mind that some beach locations set up their group a distance away from the drop-off location. It may be a good idea to park and walk with your child to ensure they arrive safely to their instructor.

If your child needs to leave early, please send a note with them that includes specific instructions for their pick-up (i.e., exact pick-up time and location). It is a good idea to park and walk down to your child’s group to ensure they leave safely.

Please note that arriving late or leaving early does not count as an absence.

If space permits Junior Lifeguards will be allowed to sign up for an additional session

Estimated operating cost for the LA County Junior Lifeguard Program is $635 per child. The fee schedule for the LACoFD Junior Lifeguard Program is currently under review by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. Included in the fee is a uniform t-shirt and swimsuit, either a navy-blue one-piece or a pair of navy blue – board shorts.

Financial aid applications will be available after registration. Please note that a 2022 Tax Return is REQUIRED for the application process.

2023 Financial Aid Scholarships will be available for those who apply and qualify.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department is committed to offering quality programs to the youth throughout Los Angeles County. The purpose of the financial aid program is to encourage the participation of young people with limited access or opportunity by assisting qualified applicants with program tuition fees.

Along with your financial aid application, you must include a copy of the following:

  • 2022 Federal Tax Return (Form 1040 only)

Your application will not be processed without the required document. All information will remain strictly confidential. There is no guarantee of approval or funding amount for individual or family applications. Financial aid is based on availability of funds and applies for one summer only.

You may not apply for financial aid after you have registered and paid the full tuition fee; there are no retroactive refunds.

PLEASE DO NOT PROVIDE PAYMENT as your payment amount will be determined after review.

The 2023 Transportation Application is TBA following confirmed enrollment.

If a Junior Lifeguard is unable to participate in the program (e.g., medical reason, personal conflict, inability to complete swims, etc.), a partial refund may be available. All refund requests must be submitted via e-mail to Fire-JrLGRefunds@fire.lacounty.gov, with Fire-JuniorLifeguards@fire.lacounty.gov CC’d.

Our 2023 refund policy is as follows:

All refund requests must be submitted via email to FIRE-JRLGRE-FUNDS@FIRE.LACOUNTY.GOV

Refund deadlines are as follows:

FIRST SESSION

  • Refund request submitted before JUNE 19, 2023:
    • Tuition refund minus $60 uniform and processing fee
  • Partial refund request submitted between 12:01am on JUNE 19, 2023 and 11:59pm on JUNE 25, 2023: $60 processing fee, minus 20% of program fee

SECOND SESSION

  • Refund request submitted before JULY 17, 2023:
    • Tuition refund minus $60 uniform and processing fee
  • Partial refund request submitted between 12:01am on JUNE 19, 2023 and 11:59pm on JUNE 25, 2023: $60 processing fee, minus 20% of program fee

Students who become ill due to a Covid-19 exposure during program hours and must miss days are eligible to receive a prorated refund based on days missed.

The Tax ID Number of the Junior Lifeguard Program is 95-6000927. If you need a Tax ID recipient, please e-mail the office after your child has completed the summer program.