Volunteer lifeguards push to return, take fight to Jacksonville Beach City Hall

JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – There were fireworks inside Jacksonville Beach City Hall on Monday night as a long-serving group of volunteer lifeguards continues to fight to be back on the beach.

Volunteer guards and their families addressed the council for the first time since the city ended negotiations with the Volunteer Life Saving Corps.

The News4JAX I-TEAM has been telling you about the talks for more than a month now.

RELATED: Volunteer lifeguards now suing Jacksonville Beach in ongoing spat

They were sparked by a federal labor investigation into the number of hours lifeguards were paid and volunteered. But things took a turn two weeks ago after city leaders accused the volunteers of disrupting and harassing paid city guards.

The corps is now suing the city to regain access to the lifeguard station.

It was a passionate and large crowd at city hall and there were dozens of people out to show their support. The line wrapped around the building.

The volunteers are eager to get back to serving the community but the mayor said that could look different in the future.

“I will not go quiet into the night as this organization that has given me so much is under attack,” said Jake Crismon.

Crismon became a lifeguard in 1989.

“It absolutely breaks my heart. There’s not a single lifeguard that works for beach patrol that was not originally trained by the corps,” Crismon said.

Monday Mayor Christine Hoffman responded to the crowd.

“Your 110 years of history have been written. We know your history…. We’re all proud of your history and we celebrate that. What we have to do now is write the future,” Hoffman said.

MORE: Changing of the guard: Jacksonville Beach does away with volunteer lifeguards after dispute

Charles Bond is a former president of the Board of Directors for the corps.

“It was definitely an overreach and a knee-jerk reaction,” Bond said.

The city said this was the result of a former lifeguard’s lawsuit and a federal labor dispute.

Volunteers had been serving on Sundays and holidays while city guards manned the beaches Monday through Saturday.

Now, guards can no longer be paid some days and volunteer on others.

“Volunteers put out a total of 22 towers on holidays and Sundays which are historically the most busy days of the summer and the city typically puts 8 to 12 out. So it would be less eyeballs on the water and more money out of the citizen’s pockets,” Bond said.

The city responded to the lawsuit with a statement saying in part that they are aware and saddened by the lawsuit, adding that they will continue to provide uninterrupted life-saving services to all of the citizens and visitors who enjoy its beaches year-round.

The mayor did acknowledge the importance of this organization to the city, but no official decisions or changes were made Monday night.


About the Author:

Renee Beninate is a Florida native and award-winning reporter who joined the News4Jax team in June 2021.