MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – The city is close to renewing its agreements with lifeguard companies for the next seven years.
In a few months, about 90 lifeguards will be watching Myrtle Beach’s 12 miles of coast during the busiest part of tourist season.
The city charges lifeguard services a franchise fee to help watch the shore.
Those lifeguards can also rent out beach chairs and umbrellas and those companies rely on that money.
“Of course, our guys aren’t going to work for free,” said Nick Jackson, general manager of John’s Beach Service. “So it serves as basically a way to pay them, while effectively monitoring the beach.”
The city is moving forward with franchise agreements for three beach services, including John’s Beach Service, which will guard the north end of the city’s shore. The agreement would last through 2024.
The United States Lifesaving Association wrote a letter to the city two years ago, criticizing Myrtle Beach for having lifeguards sell rentals.
City manager John Pedersen says not every lifeguard will handle the rentals.
“What we’ve done again, relative to just a few years ago, is we have 16 more lifeguards that are all “lifeguard only,” Pedersen said. “So those lifeguards don’t have a responsibility for renting chairs.”
Jackson says teamwork and training keep his lifeguards prepared.
“Distractions are going to be distractions, whether you’re telling somebody how much an umbrella costs, or whether you’re telling somebody where the nearest seafood restaurant is,” Jackson said.
The franchise agreements have to officially be approved at the next city council meeting on April 10.
The lifeguard services will then begin patrolling the beaches on April 15 until the end of September.
