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Tag: Beach Patrol of the Year

Manatee County Beach Patrol named Beach Patrol of the Year

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Beach, Outdoors.

MANATEE COUNTY – Manatee County Beach Patrol has been named 2025 Beach Patrol of the Year by the Florida Beach Patrol Chiefs Association (FBPCA).

The award recognition was formally presented during the Manatee County Board of County Commissioners meeting on Jan. 27.

“The award honors the division’s exceptional performance, professionalism and commitment to public safety,” says the press release that notes the county beach patrol also won the award in 2017.

Manatee County Beach Patrol serves Coquina Beach, Cortez Beach (in Bradenton Beach) and Manatee Beach.

“Throughout 2025, Manatee County Beach Patrol consistently demonstrated lifesaving excellence on and off the water. The team assisted with locating and reuniting more than 200 missing persons with their families or loved ones. Most of those cases involved children,” the press release says.

According to the press release, Manatee County Beach Patrol conducted more than 300 water rescues and responded to approximately 1,400 medical incidents. Of those responses, more than 350 were advanced life-support calls, including cardiac arrests.

In the press release, Beach Patrol and Aquatic Safety Division Chief Chet Brown said, “Every time our lifeguards do a water rescue, they put their lives on the line. I am humbled to lead this team and work alongside them every day.”

County Commissioner Tal Siddique said, “The advanced lifesaving care and certifications they maintain are on par with firefighters and EMS. It’s incredible to have that level of protection on our beaches.”

Lifeguard Rex Beach practices rescue techniques at Coquina Beach.

In good hands

Written by Sun staff on . Posted in Editorial, Opinion.

Congratulations to Manatee County Marine Rescue for being named The Florida Beach Patrol Chiefs Association Beach Patrol of the Year.

It wasn’t too long ago that it seemed the lifeguards in the towers at Manatee County and Coquina Beaches were little more than an afterthought.

Salaries were closer to what teenagers would receive during a summer job than what a professional would want as base for a career. They didn’t have the type of insurance coverage that other professionals who put their lives on the line had. Morale was low and the county constantly needed more lifeguards. Manatee County commissioners worked hard to increase the budget and finally, they got it done.

Joe Westerman, a sergeant in the ranks, was promoted to Marine Rescue Chief and more personnel were hired. These people are trained in rescue and resuscitation and also trained to keep an eye on the parking lots and areas other than the Gulf and beach. They played a role in the evacuation during Hurricane Irma last year.

In 1976, the movie “Lifeguard” showed a California lifeguard, played by Sam Elliott, who was still patrolling the beaches in his 30s. Most of his fellow lifeguards had gone on to other pursuits and younger men took their jobs. He had outgrown the job, but he was still eager to do the job.

Today, lifeguards get more technical training to be prepared for more types of emergencies and they rightfully expect more pay as they stay and turn their jobs into professions.

Who would you prefer to rely on in an emergency – somebody trained and ready to do the job or a high-schooler on summer vacation?

Protecting lives is not for amateurs and we feel the county is on the right track. Those people in the towers with binoculars and radios aren’t there for the sun or the surf. They’re responsible for the lives of everyone out there.

Congratulations to the entire Marine Rescue crew. Let’s hope the county keeps up its funding efforts to improve beach safety with professionals who are dedicated to their duties.

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