Newport Beach Councilmember Erik Weigand wants the federal government to officially classify open-water lifeguards as first responders, a push he raised at the Tuesday, July 28 City Council meeting and elaborated on Wednesday, July 29.

Weigand told the OC Register he wants the city to support House Resolution 1188, a measure introduced in April by Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ) that would express congressional support for recognizing open-water lifeguards as first responders and emergency response providers.

"They are on the front lines every day and respond to all types of emergencies, yet they aren't officially recognized as first responders," Weigand said. "I have seen firsthand lifeguards jump into harm's way to save a life. They perform CPR, address symptoms of shock, perform measures to stabilize patients with paralysis, and address serious wounds."

Weigand called the lack of recognition "a disservice," noting lifeguards also respond to traffic collisions and answer 911 calls in beach neighborhoods.

The proposal comes during a summer that has tested Newport Beach's 224-member lifeguard corps. As we reported July 28, lifeguards pulled 171 swimmers from dangerous rip currents over the July 25-26 weekend. During the July 4-7 holiday period, the team made 807 rescues and 12,423 preventative actions with 30 medical aids, according to fire department data.

In 2025, Newport Beach lifeguards rescued 3,911 people, up from 3,071 the year before. On high-surf days, "our lifeguards usually rescue between 50 and 300 people in a single day," Fire Department Public Information Officer David Gibson said in a July 5 Newport Beach Independent article.

What the resolution would do

H.Res.1188 is a non-binding House resolution, meaning it expresses congressional support but does not directly create law or unlock federal funding. It remains active in the 119th Congress.

New Jersey provides a state-level example. That state's Senate unanimously passed Resolution SR72 on June 30, granting its roughly 3,000 open-water lifeguards access to emergency responder insurance, line-of-duty death benefits, and priority vaccinations during disease outbreaks.

Lifeguard division by the numbers

Newport Beach's Lifeguard Operations Division, led by Assistant Chief Brian O'Rourke under Fire Chief Jeff Boyles, operated on a $7.4 million budget in fiscal year 2023-24. The division staffs 96 lifeguards across towers, truck patrols, and rescue boats, with 75 reserves. New hires must complete 109 hours of training at the city's Lifeguard Academy before qualifying.

The department is recognized as an Advanced Agency by the United States Lifesaving Association and recorded zero beach fatalities in 2024 despite more than 8.5 million beachgoers.

Neither the Fire Department nor Weigand's office has outlined a timeline for a formal council vote to support the resolution. It is also unclear whether the city plans to lobby its congressional representatives to co-sponsor H.Res.1188.

Hurricane Genevieve swells were forecast to push waves up to 10 feet at the Wedge through Friday, July 31, according to forecasts reported by the LA Times.