VIDEO: The Cannon Beach Fire District Ocean Safety Division is now the first United States Lifesaving Association (USLA)-certified lifeguard agency in Oregon. On Thursday, USLAโs Board of Directors approved Cannon Beachโs lifeguard agency certification for a three-year period. The crew was notified by Honolulu Ocean Safety Chief Kurt Lager, who attended the meeting, that the accomplishment was met with a round of applause.
โIt means that our standards are set to the standard of multiple lifeguard agencies across the United States, including those in California, Hawaii, and Florida,โ said Alexander Tadei, Lead Lifeguard, Cannon Beach Rural Fire Protection District.
After a year-long process of raising the departmentโs standards of operation to those of the USLA, Cannon Beach Fire & Rescue leadership says the certification is a milestone in their plan to grow the lifeguard program. In 2023, Cannon Beach Fire & Rescue took over the administration and management of the lifeguard program from the City of Cannon Beach. Through an intergovernmental agreement in 2024, the department took complete control.
