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ABC News Interview Highlights Urgent Call for More Lifeguards and Swim Education

In a recent ABC News interview, the American Lifeguard Association (ALA) brought national attention to a growing crisis: the deadly threat of rip currents and the alarming number of beaches around the world left unguarded. The conversation was spurred by the tragic drowning of actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner at Playa Cocles, Costa Rica—an unprotected beach notorious for powerful rip currents.

ALA officials described rip currents as “invisible rivers of water moving swiftly away from the shore.” They account for the majority of surf-zone drownings each year and are especially dangerous because they often go unnoticed by swimmers until it’s too late. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), over 100 people die in the U.S. alone each year due to rip currents—many at beaches with no lifeguard coverage.

“Rip currents don’t look like danger,” an ALA spokesperson stated during the interview. “They often appear calm on the surface. That’s what makes them so deadly. Without lifeguards present to identify and warn swimmers, the ocean can turn fatal in seconds.”

The interview highlighted the pressing need to increase the number of lifeguards, especially at high-risk beaches. In the U.S. and abroad, budget cuts and staffing shortages have left many coastlines unprotected. ALA urged municipalities and tourism boards to invest in hiring trained lifeguards and emphasized that having just one professional on duty can dramatically improve swimmer safety.

But ALA didn’t stop at calling for more guards. They also promoted a proactive, long-term solution through their educational initiative Learn to Swim America. The program was created to address a sobering fact: nearly 60% of drowning victims are children or adults who never learned how to swim. ALA’s Learn to Swim America provides accessible, structured swim instruction for children and adults of all ages.

“Knowing how to swim is a critical life skill,” the spokesperson explained. “When combined with proper supervision and lifeguard presence, it forms a three-tiered system of protection: education, prevention, and emergency response.”

Learn to Swim America is especially focused on reaching underserved communities where access to swim lessons has been limited. The goal is to ensure every child in America—regardless of income or geography—has the chance to develop water competency and safety awareness. With drowning remaining one of the leading causes of accidental death for children under 14, the stakes are high.

Through its dual mission of training lifeguards and expanding public swim education, the American Lifeguard Association continues to lead the charge in water safety. As the ABC News interview underscored, the fight against drowning begins with awareness—but it must lead to action.

ALA is calling on national leaders, local governments, and communities to make water safety a public health priority. More guarded beaches, more trained lifeguards, and more swimmers who know how to stay safe—these are the tools needed to stop the rising tide of preventable drownings.

For more information on lifeguard certification or to find a local Learn to Swim America program, visit www.americanlifeguard.com.