DEL MAR, Calif. (KGTV) — Being a lifeguard is more than just hanging out at the beach. There are life and death situations that happen right in front of them. In Del Mar, they're making sure the staff is prepared mentally for anything that comes their way.
Last week, chaos erupted in the water off Torrey Pines State Beach when a panga boat overturned, resulting in three deaths, with a fourth person missing and presumed dead.
"It was really kind of chaotic. We didn't really know how many people were missing what was really going on," said Lifeguard Sergeant Tyler Grant.
Grant and his team responded to the incident, though he arrived after the initial rescue efforts.
"I got there maybe 25 minutes after 30 minutes after everyone else did, so the whole medical scene and the rescues I missed, which I heard was kind of sad and depressing and very chaotic," Grant said.
Being on the front lines can be challenging, scary and overwhelming for first responders. Grant says what helps is the strong bond among team members.
"We're always together, good communication with our team, so I think that kind of helps with dealing and handling intense medical scenarios or incidents," Grant said.
Jon Edelbrock, Director of Community Services for the City of Del Mar, explained that the department prioritizes mental health whenever first responders deal with death or critical incidents.
"We have direct check-ins, sometimes we'll hit things kind of one on one," Edelbrock said.
The department holds debrief sessions as part of their mental health support system.
"That's all of us just telling our story of how things went, you know it's not a sense of what went wrong but our role in how things went and our contributions," Edelbrock said.
While May is Mental Health Awareness Month, the lifeguard headquarters makes mental wellness a priority every day.
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