ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Tourism in the St. Petersburg/Clearwater region saw record numbers in 2020 and spring 2024, according to Visit St. Pete-Clearwater. Millions of out-of-towners visit Clearwater Beach and spend their afternoons on the beach under the watchful eye of lifeguards.

Three miles of white sand that’s packed with tourists all year round, meaning those who protect it are on duty 365 days a year.

“We are the ones who feel the burn of the sun, the sand on our feet and the taste of the salt on our lips,” said Patrick Brafford, who has been a lifeguard for 14 years. “We’re out here day in and day out. It’s a calling for us.”

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It’s his job to make sure the men and women responsible for keeping beachgoers safe are in tip-top shape for the obligatory pulls every morning.

“It is the nature of the word first responder that when seconds count, we are without a doubt the first on any call,” Brafford said.

They conduct relay races, swim around Pier-60, check medical training and perform mock rescues to ensure they are ready for an emergency. Olympic gold medalist Brooke Bennett works part-time as a security guard to stay fit and serve the community where she grew up.

“My most tricky case was down on the jetty. It was a little boy and when I got to him he said he didn’t want to die. I was nervous, I was completely gassed when I came out to him,” Bennett said.

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Even for Bennett, saving in golf is a challenge.

“That’s why our moves are so important because when you rescue someone, not only do I have to use my physical abilities to get to the victim, but I also have to get the victim inside,” she explained.

The head of the beach rescue service, Konrad Ciolko, comes from Poland and has been working as a security guard for 22 years.

“It’s unpredictable, environmental conditions change daily,” Ciolko said.

He estimates he has conducted more than 100 rescues and seen everything from hurricanes and threatened lightning strikes to dangerous rip currents and freak accidents.

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“Nearly a million people come to this beach every year and the holiday weekends get really, really busy and it gets pretty tough,” he said.

Physical fitness plays a big role when working as a beach lifeguard. Before you can even become a lifeguard at Clearwater Beach, you must pass a physical test.

It is a 500-meter Gulf swim followed by a 1.6-kilometer beach run. The swim must be completed in 10 minutes and the entire test must be completed in under 18 minutes. Lifeguards repeat this physical test twice a year to maintain their endurance.

“Whether it’s a small child or an adult twice my size, it’s not give up and give up, you bare yourself and leave,” Bennett said.

The average age of a lifeguard in Clearwater Beach is 35 years old. The youngest is 19 years old and the oldest is 55-year-old JP Atherholt.

“You have to be in shape, you have to be physically and mentally prepared to do it every day. So it’s not as easy as some people think, it’s really a hard job,” Atherholt said.

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They are a close-knit bunch who encourage each other to do their best and have each other’s back when it matters most.

There are 11 lifeguards on the tower in high season. There are eight guards on the tower in autumn and winter.

Brafford said it’s a constant struggle to find full-time lifeguards. He said they couldn’t survive on a lifeguard’s salary alone, as full-time guards earn $38,000 a year. Part-time guards earn 18.33/hour.

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