WILMINGTON, N.C. — Tens of thousands of pools, parks and beaches across the country have remained closed all summer due to a lifeguard shortage. In Wrightsville Beach, lifeguarding camps every year aim to prepare the next generation for this task. 

What You Need To Know

  • A national shortage of lifeguards has left a third of pools closed this summer

  • The Jeremy Owens Junior Lifeguard Camp is dedicated to to Jeremy Owens Junior, who died in November 2020. He is remembered for his drive to teach ocean safety to kids in a fun way

  • The junior lifeguards learn about five main things: dangerous marine life, skin cancer awareness, the cervical spine, CPR and major hemorrhage

The Jeremy Owens Junior Lifeguard Camp, based on community outreach and beach safety, teaches young people ages 9 to 17 how to be lifeguards.  

“The ocean can be a dangerous place, as we all know. Super important for the kids just to kind of feel a little bit more comfortable, but also knowing their limits and knowing when it’s time to push past those limits and how to operate within their limits in a safe and organized manner,” Rett Nabell, a Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue lieutenant, said. 

Safety is important to the lifeguards on the Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue team. Many of them, including Nabell, are part-time firefighters protecting the community. 

The camp emphasizes safety awareness for the kids and others on the beach. 

“We just kind of teach them to be responsible for themselves, take ownership of the beach” Nabell said. 

During the camp, the kids get hands-on experience where they need to use teamwork, communication and the skills they’ve learned to navigate scenarios played out by the lifeguards. 

Giving the kids the confidence to swim in the ocean, to help save people and to be brave in unsafe situations is important, and when they get their whistle and stand assignment, it makes all the work and training from the week worth it. 

This annual camp is dedicated to Jeremy Owens Junior, who died in November 2020. He is remembered for his drive to teach ocean safety to kids in a fun way.