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Ocean Lifeguard 1 Kaya Desoto scouts her zone at Del Mar Beach, Calif., July 4, 2024. While stationed in her tower during the early celebration of the 2024 Marine Corps Community Services July Fourth Beach Bash, Desoto, an Oceanside native, noticed a developing rip current that began sucking a 10-year-old girl and her older brother into the open ocean.
“I saw them start to get sucked out, and from there, I could tell that the girl wasn’t a strong swimmer,” Desoto said.
Despite the local sand bar extending far enough for the children to walk back from the surf, the sight of the struggling swimmers prompted Desoto to leap from her tower, blaring her whistle and sprinting towards the rip current.
“The thing is that these children could take in too much water, walk out, and drown in the parking lot,” Desoto said. “So, I had to do something.”
According to the United States Lifesaving Association, over the 30-year period from 1991 to 2021, there were a total of 226 guarded drowning-related deaths in California. If it weren’t for dedicated lifeguards like Desoto who keep a keen eye out for the safety of their beaches, events like the MCCS Camp Pendleton July Fourth Beach Bash wouldn’t exist. Marine Corps Community Services Camp Pendleton hosted this year’s July Fourth celebration at Del Mar Beach with a Family Fun Zone, food vendors, and live music. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Patrick King)
| Date Taken: | 07.04.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 07.11.2024 16:36 |
| Photo ID: | 8520843 |
| VIRIN: | 240704-M-JH495-1002 |
| Resolution: | 6720x4480 |
| Size: | 13.11 MB |
| Location: | MCI-W/MCBCP, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 127 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Camp Pendleton July Fourth Beach Bash [Image 7 of 7], by Sgt Patrick King, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
122 Lives Saved: Camp Pendleton's Guardians of the Coast
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