Face shields, dry suits, showers: Lifeguards in South County adapt to persistent sewage contamination
Coronado lifeguards use leak-proof dry suits for open water rescues. Imperial Beach lifeguards decontaminate in showers after leaving the ocean. And both have ditched jet skis for the protection offered by boats. These aren’t new equipment standards.They are tools the two South County departments have rolled out independently to protect themselves from daily exposure to polluted, sewage-tainted waters. No safety standards exist for lifeguards who come into contact with contaminated water while trying to save lives.