South Walton Fire District Junior Lifeguard Program, 911 CR/393, Santa Rosa Beach, FL (2026)

05/31/2026

We're celebrating another alum making the jump to SWFD Lifeguard, welcome to the beach Cooper Davis! 💪🌊🛟

Cooper is officially working as a seasonal lifeguard with us for the 2026 season, having already spent multiple days on the beach and staffing towers. This comes after his time in our South Walton Fire District Junior Lifeguard Program, dating as far back as 2021.

His journey to work with us started in Juniors, but he spent significant time and effort to pass our hiring academy, dedicate himself to surf rescue training, and now, can be found serving our community in a professional capacity!

Congratulations to the entire Davis family, we can't wait to see how much of an impact he makes on the beach this summer.

Any former Junior Lifeguards or hopeful lifeguard candidates who are at least 17 years old can apply NOW to work this season. Our next rookie lifeguard training academy will take place June 6-7, so please don't wait to apply!

Application link: http://www.tinyurl.com/SWFDBeachSafetyCareers

05/27/2026

Hey fam! The time is finally here... our Juniors 2026 program kicks off on Tuesday, June 2.

We sent preliminary emails this week to those who are part of the June session- please check to be sure you received it and understand what session you are in. July session emails will be sent out at a later time.

Below is information about the June program for those who are participating in these first sessions. Once you have read the post in its entirety, you can email any questions to [email protected].

🌊Both the Advanced and Foundations programs will be held June 2-18 at Ed Walline Beach Access. The advanced program will be held 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, and the foundations program will be held 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday.

🌊This is not your average summer camp! We run the Junior Lifeguard Program to prepare future generations to become lifeguards themselves. We can adjust the program to all skill levels and/or inclement weather, but every Junior should expect to exercise, swim, run, paddle, and even do plenty of burpees just like our professional lifeguards do every day.

🌊Juniors should bring a refillable water bottle with them to class. We will provide plenty of cold water, but they need a bottle to refill. Other helpful items to pack inside a beach-friendly bag include sunscreen, a towel, and goggles (if they like to use goggles to swim). We will hand out rashguards on the first day.

🌊Plan to arrive approximately 10-15 minutes early for your session. This helps with traffic and ensuring you are not rushing through the parking lot, which can become crowded during the summer.

🌊Ensure Juniors are fueling properly with healthy and easy-to-digest meals before they arrive each day. The hot weather will quickly take its toll if Juniors have not consumed enough quality calories. It's a good idea to avoid any heavy dairy or greasy foods directly before the three-hour block begins, but we certainly endorse a cold and sweet treat after each day is complete. P.S. Save some for the instructors! 😜

🌊Any updates to the 2026 program will be posted to this page and/or communicated via email with the address we have on file. Please contact [email protected] with questions. We can't wait to see you next week, hope you are ready for a great summer!

05/13/2026

2026 SWIM TESTS REMINDER!

Thank you to all who attended our first of three swim test options this past weekend for 2026 . Our remaining scheduled swim test dates and times are:

🌊Saturday, May 16, 9 a.m., Ed Walline Beach Access
🌊Sunday, May 17, 9 a.m., Ed Walline Beach Access

Please carefully read the information below and if you have any questions after reading, email us at [email protected].

Regardless of your child's swimming and/or Juniors experience, they must participate in ONE of the swim tests. In order to maintain a strong and reputable Juniors program, we do not exempt anyone from taking a swim test. We do our best to be accommodating for our Juniors and participating families, however, we ask you to remember we hold a high standard for this program to make it a successful, safe, and beneficial experience for everyone involved.

Following the successful completion of the swim test, you will make your in-person payment for the summer program. Your child's spot in our 2026 program is NOT secure until the swim test is complete and the payment is processed. We accept cash, check, and card.

What does the swim test consist of? The test is a brief swim in the Gulf and then back to shore. It is weather and surf dependent. The test is meant to gauge a child's interest in the program and prove they are capable of swimming in open water. It is not a "race" to see who is the fastest, but it does ensure Juniors know how to swim without endangering themselves or others.

If your child prefers to swim with goggles, please bring those with you, as well as a towel. In the event of adverse weather or surf, we will communicate a change of plans and coordinate a make-up test date/time if necessary.

Again, email any questions to [email protected]. Thank you and SEA you soon!

05/09/2026

SWIM TEST UPDATE 5/9/26:

Good morning fam. Fingers crossed for today’s swim test, it looks like we have a good window this morning to make it happen! We are proceeding with the swim test at 9 AM at Ed Walline for anyone who is able to attend.

If weather becomes suddenly severe, we will take the safety of all participants into account and immediately suspend the test. Right now, we are hopeful to get the 2026 program started!

Remember this “test” is just a short swim out into the Gulf and back to shore. Lifeguards will be present and monitoring throughout the event. It is not a race but a judgement of whether or not the Junior can safely swim without endangering themselves or others.

Please bring either cash, check, or card for payment, and maybe a rain jacket, too… 🙂☔️💙

SEA 🌊 you soon.

05/08/2026

2026 SWIM TESTS UPDATE - WEATHER MONITORING

Hey ! We are carefully monitoring the forecast for this weekend. It is too soon to tell whether or not the weather will require a change to our swim test plans on Saturday, May 9.

At this point, it would be a disservice to you if we canceled and/or rescheduled the swim test prematurely. We are able to conduct the test through light rain showers but will draw the line at anything involving lightning or severe weather/surf threats.

Canceling a swim test is not something that we take lightly and want to avoid at all costs if possible. That being said, we will continue to monitor the weather and surf forecast, and will likely provide a "game time" update Saturday morning by 8 AM CT on this page regarding the ability for us to hold the test.

We understand this may not give you as much time as you desire to make other plans for the weekend. If that impacts your willingness to be part of the 2026 program, we completely understand. However, we have been humbled and embarrassed by Mother Nature several times before when attempting to predict what her choice will be for the weather.

We still have two additional swim test options on the calendar for next weekend which will each require careful consideration of surf conditions and weather.

In the event we do postpone the swim test, we will provide plenty of notice for what the new date and time will be for the makeup test. Please continue to check this page for updates.

Questions can be emailed to [email protected]. Take care and stay safe.

04/16/2026

2026 SWIM TEST INFORMATION!

You registered for the 2026 South Walton Fire District Junior Lifeguard Program, so what's next? Time to plan to attend ONE of the three swim test options. Please carefully read the information below and if you have any questions after reading, email us at [email protected].

Our scheduled swim test dates and times are:

🌊Saturday, May 9, 9 a.m., Ed Walline Beach Access
🌊Saturday, May 16, 9 a.m., Ed Walline Beach Access
🌊Sunday, May 17, 9 a.m., Ed Walline Beach Access

Regardless of your child's swimming and/or Juniors experience, they must participate in ONE of the swim tests. In order to maintain a strong and reputable Juniors program, we do not exempt anyone from taking a swim test. We do our best to be accommodating for our Juniors and participating families, however, we ask you to remember we hold a high standard for this program to make it a successful, safe, and beneficial experience for everyone involved.

Following the successful completion of the swim test, you will make your payment for the summer program. Your child's spot in our 2026 program is NOT secure until the swim test is complete and the payment is processed. We accept cash, check, and card.

What does the swim test consist of? The test is a brief swim in the Gulf and then back to shore. It is weather and surf dependent. The test is meant to gauge a child's interest in the program and prove they are capable of swimming in open water. It is not a "race" to see who is the fastest, but it does ensure Juniors know how to swim without endangering themselves or others.

If your child prefers to swim with goggles, please bring those with you, as well as a towel. In the event of adverse weather or surf, we will communicate a change of plans and coordinate a make-up test date/time if necessary.

Again, email any questions to [email protected]. Thank you and see you soon!

04/10/2026

2026 REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

Please follow the link below to complete the Registration Form for our 2026 South Walton Fire District Junior Lifeguard Program. As a reminder, there is no rush to complete this instantly, please review the form and sign up this weekend as you have the time.

JUNE SESSION: June 2-18, 2026
JULY SESSION: July 7-23, 2026

https://forms.gle/LGJvy5YWtevi38k7A

Please read the rest of this post in its entirety, we appreciate your understanding in advance as we tried to include as much info as possible! If you have questions after reading, email us at [email protected].

🛟After registering: You should receive an email once you complete the form, if you don't see it, we remind you to be patient and check your junk folder. There is no need to reach out to ensure you're on the list- we've got you. If you are registering multiple Juniors, click "Submit another response," and complete the form for any other Juniors.

🛟Please remember: Completing the registration form does not guarantee your spot in the 2026 Program. Registration is the first step, then your Junior must complete one of the swim tests being held May 9, 16, or 17 at Ed Walline Beach Access, starting at 9 a.m. More information on the swim tests to be posted next week.

🛟2026 Registration Addition: If competing is something your junior is interested in, keep an eye out for the option to join the competition mailing list in the registration form. This will ensure you receive email communication related to the 2026 competition plans.

🛟New to the Program?: Welcome to the family! This is a beach safety-based summer program held in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, for children ages 9 - 16 years old. Participants spend three weeks of the summer learning the skills to be confident, open water swimmers and surf lifesavers. The sessions are held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays of each week. We break the program into Foundations and Advanced levels of instruction to best suit both new and returning Juniors. Topics covered include: open water swimming, CPR and first aid, drowning prevention, rip current identification, beach warning flags, and surf rescue-based workouts with intensive, hands-on training.

🛟Final thoughts: If you've made it to the end of this post and still have questions, we're happy to hear from you at [email protected]. This page is not monitored 24/7 and our fastest means of communication is via email.

Thank you for your interest in the 2026 Program, SEA you soon. 🌊

03/31/2026

Hey family! As we get closer to summer and another awesome year of SWFD Junior Lifeguards, we wanted to put a couple of competition opportunities on your radar for the upcoming summer.

If competing is something your junior is interested in, keep an eye out for the option to join the competition mailing list in the registration form, which goes live April 10, 2026 at 12 p.m.

These are the big dates to remember:
🌊July 13: USLA Regional Competition in Gulf Shores, AL
🌊July 25: Emerald Coast Junior Lifeguard Competition in Miramar Beach vs. Destin Junior Lifeguards
🌊August 4-7: USLA National Competition in Fort Lauderdale, FL

Note: The Juniors portion at Nationals will only take place one of those days, either the 4th or the 7th.

These are great opportunities for your Juniors to race against other Juniors from around the country, and to see how those other programs train and compete. It is truly one of the best experiences for a Junior Lifeguard who either enjoys competing or hopes to make a career of surf lifesaving.

At this point in the year, this is all of the preliminary information we can share ahead of the 2026 program so you can save the dates to your calendar. Opting into the mailing list on the registration form will ensure you receive additional updates relevant to competitions.

Again: If competing is something your junior is interested in, keep an eye out for the option to join the mailing list in the registration form, which goes live April 10, 2026 at 12 p.m.

Questions? Email [email protected] and SEA you soon.

03/02/2026

Check out this former Junior who is officially on the beach! 💪🌊🛟

South Walton Fire District Junior Lifeguard Alum Steele Rodgers is now working as a professional lifeguard with SWFD. Steele took part in several summers ago and has just recently met the hiring requirements for 2026.

What’s even more incredible is his family connection to SWFD! Steele’s older brother Brett is one of our Full-Time Lifeguards, his mom is one of our Seasonal Lifeguards, and his dad works for us as a Fire Inspector. You may also know his younger sister, Josie, who is a current member of .

It’s safe to say that it is truly a family affair in the Rodgers household when it comes to protecting the South Walton community.

We can't wait to see what’s next for Steele. He’s an awesome athlete and sure to be a great addition on this beach this season.

Any former Junior Lifeguards or hopeful lifeguard candidates who are at least 17 years old can apply NOW to work this season. Follow the link below!

http://www.tinyurl.com/SWFDBeachSafetyCareers

02/02/2026

SAVE THE DATE! 🌊🛟 We are excited to announce preliminary dates for our 2026 South Walton Fire District Junior Lifeguard Program so you can make sure is a part of your summer plans! Here are a few important dates to note:

🌊Online registration: April 10, 12 p.m. CT
🌊Swim Test Options: May 9, 16, or 17
🌊Session 1: June 2-18
🌊Session 2: July 7-23

The dates are a smidge different than last year, otherwise the format is the same. We are sticking with the Foundations and Advanced groups for both months (Advanced in the morning and Foundations in the afternoon). The swim tests and sessions take place at Ed Walline Beach Access.

In the event we have additional announcements, we will make another post to this page. Please keep in mind we are still in the planning stages to make 2026 our best year yet.

If you have any questions, email [email protected]. We will do our best to respond to comments on this post, but the quickest way to receive an answer is via email.

Thank you for your support and loyalty that makes the SWFD Juniors Program one of the best around. We love you guys!

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Program Background: The SWFD Junior Lifeguard Program is held in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, for children ages 9 - 16 years old to spend three weeks of the summer learning the skills to be confident, open water swimmers and lifesavers. The program began in 2006 and has grown to include more than 200 participants. Foundations and Advanced levels of instruction benefit both new and returning Juniors, with the overall goal to grow South Walton's surf rescue culture and lifeguard recruitment efforts. Topics covered include: open water swimming, CPR and first aid, drowning prevention, rip current identification, beach warning flags, and surf rescue-based workouts with intensive, hands-on training.

South Walton Fire District Junior Lifeguard Program

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