Yearlong Lifeguard Service Restored at Black's Beach

San Diego City Council unanimously approved a contract Monday to restore full-time lifeguard services at Black’s Beach in La Jolla. Service at this remote and popular surf spot was drastically reduced last year as part of city’s budget cuts.

City budget reductions that began on Jan. 1, 2010, resulted in the elimination of lifeguard services at Black’s from Labor Day to mid-June and reduced service from mid-June to Labor Day. Under the new deal, Black’s Beach will have two lifeguards during the off-season and six during the busy, summer season.

UC San Diego will fund the restoration of service under a one-year, $502,000 contract.

UCSD officials, Councilwoman Sherri Lightner and lifeguard Chief Rick Wurts announced the proposal to restore services last week.

“Black’s Beach is a beach that has very, very strong conditions,” Wurts said last week. “Down here in the wintertime—really, throughout the year—it gets some of the best surf anywhere in San Diego. Some of the top surfers around the county, in fact the country and even the world, surf Black's.”

Wurts said restoring lifeguard service will result in faster response times that could be the difference between life and death.

City News Service contributed to this report.