Daytona Beach Lifeguards

Composed of 30 young men aged 17 to 26 and trained in lifesaving and first aid, this volunteer corps protected three miles of beach, compiling daily records of the number of bathers, weather, first aid, and rescues. The neighboring communities of Ormond Beach and New Smyrna Beach maintained their own lifesaving units, and Volusia County monitored the remaining coastline. By 1972, these four corps had united, and the Volusia County Beach Patrol became one of the nation's most highly trained surf lifesaving rescue units. Protecting 47 continuous miles of Atlantic coastline, which holds the dubious honor of the shark bite capital of the world, the Volusia County Beach Patrol welcomes 10 million visitors and performs an average of 3,000 rescues annually.