Rehoboth lifeguards break in new home with busy season

Despite a sizable jump in the number of saves and in the number of minor EMT calls in 2025, but Capt. Jeffrey Giles said Rehoboth Beach Patrol had a successful season overall.

The city’s lifeguards man the mile-long beach from Saturday of Memorial Day weekend through three weeks after Labor Day.

According to statistics provided by Giles, the number of saves increased from 137 in 2024 to 173 in 2025, while the number of minor EMT responses went from 238 to 534. He attributed the increases to two things – an unusually consistent northeast wind during July and August that caused rough water conditions, and warm-water currents from the south that brought uninvited guests – jellyfish. 

The biggest change for the beach patrol was operationally. Days before the season was set to begin, after more than a year of construction, the new headquarters and public restroom facility opened on Baltimore Avenue. In 2024, the beach patrol was temporarily stationed at the north end of the Boardwalk, next to the Village Improvement Association.

The No. 1 improvement was the visibility the second-floor observation deck provides, said Giles. The guards are able to see the whole beach, which is helpful because they can literally see rip currents forming and then radio to lifeguards in the area, he said. The deck also helps with lost kids, he added.

Lifeguards need to be proactive, Giles said, and they were very proactive this summer.

The new facility also allows for more training in the meeting room, said Giles. It was much easier for the guards to get continued training in first-aid, CPR and AED use because they were already working, he said.

Saves and minor EMT issues increased, but the number of tent takedowns decreased significantly – 4,899 to 3,968 – and so did the number of times the police were called – 49 to 26.

Giles credited the beach patrol’s three ambassadors, saying that besides the lifeguards, they’re really the ones who talk with people on the beach. They do a great job and they’re professional, he said.

As for the beach patrol’s popular junior lifeguard program, Giles said there were 180 kids who participated. This was the best summer the program has had in the last five years, he said.

Looking to next year, Giles said he expects to need to hire 15 to 20 new lifeguards, which is typical. He said he also expects to lose a few members of his senior leadership team, but that’s okay because he’s got other lifeguards ready to take over.

Giles said they’ll also be looking to make the new headquarters more organized and feel like home. This year, the beach patrol had to move in quickly, he said.