California State Parks Seasonal Lifeguard Receives the Governor's Public Safety Medal of Valor
Story from: Jorge Moreno, Communications and Marketing Division
 California Governor Gavin Newsom awards Benjamin Sweet, lifeguard II (seasonal), the Public Safety Medal of Valor Award for his act of heroism at a ceremony in Sacramento. Photos from Brian Baer, Communications and Marketing Division.
Last week, California State Parks Lifeguard II (Seasonal) Benjamin Sweet was one of two recipients of the Governor’s Public Safety Medal of Valor Award for his act of heroism during a ceremony on Wednesday, June 18, in Sacramento. Governor Gavin Newsom presented Benjamin the Medal of Valor, which is the highest state honor for valor awarded to a public safety officer.
State Parks Director Armando Quintero and California Natural Resources Agency Secretary Wade Crowfoot were also in attendance to congratulate him on this special recognition. Channel Coast District staff, where Benjamin is a seasonal lifeguard, were also present to show support. He was recognized for a rescue in 2023 during high surf condition.
On Dec. 28, 2023, he executed an extremely dangerous rescue at San Buenaventura State Beach in the City of Ventura. Under an extreme high surf advisory, State Parks lifeguards identified a surfer in distress and an unattended surfboard about 400 yards offshore, near the end of the Ventura Pier. The surf conditions were challenging, with waves reaching 15-20 feet and breaking 500 yards outside of the pier.
Benjamin spotted the surfer and, despite the treacherous waves and debris, made the selfless decision to jump off the pier and swim through the hazardous conditions to rescue the surfer. After a grueling half-mile swim and facing powerful waves, he managed to secure the surfer to a rescue buoy.
While attempting to gain the attention of the rescue helicopter searching above, Benjamin and the surfer traveled for a mile in a fast-moving lateral current, negotiating countless extremely large waves. The force of one wave was strong enough to rip and separate the strap from the buoy, causing Sweet to lose sight of the surfer. Though separated during the rescue, the surfer was safely brought ashore with the rescue buoy, thanks to Sweet's swift actions and unwavering dedication.
For his extraordinary bravery and lifesaving efforts, he was also honored with several awards in 2024:
- California State Park Rangers Association – Medal of Valor
- California Surf Lifesaving Association – Medal of Valor
- United States Lifesaving Association – Medal of Valor
- Park Rangers Association of California – Medal of Valor
- California State Parks – Director's Award for Special Act/Service
These accolades are testaments to Sweet’s exceptional bravery, showcasing the dedication and strength State Parks lifeguards represent. In 2024, he shared his story of the rescue in this video.
Benjamin and Officer Gabriel Rodriguez from the San Bernardino Police Department were the two individuals awarded the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor at the ceremony.
Under the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor Act of 2003, the Governor may award medals to public safety officers for extraordinary valor. The Attorney General’s Office receives and reviews nominations with the Medal of Valor Review Board, which then makes a recommendation to the Attorney General.
 Top left: Benjamin Sweet (center) with Director Armando Quintero, Desert Division Chief Greg Martin, Channel Coast District Superintendent Dena Bellman, Law Enforcement Division Chief Alex Luscutoff, Supervising State Park Peace Officer (Lifeguard) James Bray and Superintendent II (Aquatic Specialist) Justin McHenry. Top right: Director Quintero with Benjamin Sweet. Bottom right (left to right): Director Quintero, James Bray, Secretary Wade Crowfoot, Benjamin Sweet and Dena Bellman. Bottom left. Benjamin Sweet with Officer Gabriel Rodriguez from the San Bernardino Police Department, who was also awarded the Medal of Valor award. Photos from Brian Baer, Communications and Marketing Division.
Looking to the Future by Preserving the Past at Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds
Story from: Joseph Starr, Monterey District
 Top photo: Preservation work of the Grace Dodge Memorial Chapel in progress. Photo from Joseph Starr, Monterey District. Bottom photo: The chapel in 1945. Source: California State Parks.
After more than five years of intensive studies and planning, the construction kickoff meeting for the Grace Dodge Memorial Chapel Preservation and Maintenance Project took place at Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds on June 17. A conditions assessment was updated in 2024 to include an up-to-date overview of building envelope deficiencies and to provide recommendations for repair and rehabilitation work. The project consists of maintenance and repairs to the exterior of the building including roofing, gutters and downspouts, wood shingle siding, windows and doors, stonemasonry and mortar, and the exterior concrete stairs and railings. By repairing and improving dysfunctional components of the building envelope, water intrusion is limited, thereby preserving the life of building materials.
Asilomar’s historic core was constructed from 1913-1928 and features eleven buildings designed by renowned American architect Julia Morgan. In 1915, the Chapel was constructed and dedicated to Grace H. Dodge, national chairwoman of the Young Women’s Christian Association. The building was used as a multipurpose space for gatherings, performances, and classes. The two-story redwood shingle and vertical half log rectangular building, with a dominant front façade featuring an enclosed porch, is supported by five large granite pillars. The building is surmounted by a hip and gable end roof. Fenestration consists of banks of casement windows grouped in twos and threes. To this day, the chapel continues to retain most of its original materials and nearly all the features of Julia Morgan’s originally built design.
The project team includes Monterey District staff, our concessionaire partner Aramark Destinations, Craft Construction, Spectra Company, and Page & Turnbull. At this stage of the project, preservation treatments are being applied to inconspicuous areas of the building to produce mockups allowing for adjustments to be made as needed. This project is a great example of teamwork between State Parks, Aramark Destinations and historic construction companies all contributing towards our common goal of protecting valued cultural resources and creating high-quality recreation opportunities for all.
In closing, here is a special message from Alex Marin, Aramark Destinations General Manager at Asilomar:
Asilomar is a place with a strong sense of identity. Grace Dodge Chapel is one of several core buildings that were built with the purpose of fulfilling Phoebe Hearst’s mission back in 1913. Aramark Destinations is proud of the partnership that we have built with California State Parks over the years. The Chapel will be the first of many planned historic restoration projects that we embark on together for the preservation and enjoyment of Asilomar for future generations.
Stay tuned for more exciting updates! If you're interested in staying at Asilomar, click here.
Huntington State Beach Celebrates 75 Years of Sand, Surf and Fun in the Sun
Story from: Nick Sterrenburg, Orange Coast District
 Life at Huntington State Beach as reflected in historic photos of the past 75 years. Photos from California State Parks.
This summer marks the 75th summer season that Huntington State Beach (SB) has welcomed visitors to one of the most popular locations in the State Park System. It also provides an opportunity to celebrate the department’s professional lifeguard service and its long history of protecting park visitors, promoting public recreation and delivering high-quality aquatic safety services for the people of California.
As far back as 1930, influential Huntington Beach business and civic leaders were advocating for the creation of a public state beach to meet the growing recreational needs of Orange County. After a State Senate bill led to the purchase of 9,000 feet of beach frontage between Huntington Beach and Newport-Balboa in 1946, the State Park Commission approved the park’s classification in 1948 and settled on the official name of Huntington Beach State Park. The new park, which opened to the public on June 1, 1950, was staffed by a crew of three park rangers, 18 part-time lifeguards, a full-time lifeguard supervisor and a handful of park attendants.
In February of 1950, the California State Legislature approved funding for state lifeguard services and on May 19, 1950, veteran Newport Beach lifeguard Robert J. Isenor became beach lifeguard supervisor for Huntington Beach State Park, marking the official beginning of the California State Park Lifeguard Service. Isenor and his team began developing a state parks lifeguard training program and introduced the first official state lifeguard training manual in 1954. A modern two-story central lifeguard tower was built in 1952 and served as the park’s aquatic safety services hub until it was replaced in 1984 with a much larger three-story facility. Huntington Beach State Park was officially reclassified as Huntington SB in July 1963.
Today, Huntington SB serves an estimated 3.5 million visitors annually who are protected by a modern lifeguard service staffed by highly trained seasonal lifeguards and full-time state park peace officers (lifeguards) equipped with state-of-the-art safety equipment and technology, a modern fleet of patrol vehicles, boats and watercraft, and support facilities. The ocean lifeguard training program, which is required for all department lifeguards assigned to coastal units and all full-time lifeguards, continues to operate out of Huntington SB and is recognized as one of the department’s flagship training programs, responsible for certifying nearly 200 ocean lifeguards annually.
In 2024, the department’s statewide aquatic safety program reported beach attendance of nearly 33 million visitors, 12,525 rescues, 1,186 major medical aides, 9,874 minor first aids, 255 boat rescues, zero drownings in guarded water, 35 drownings in unguarded water and 3,198 junior lifeguard program participants. State park lifeguards are assigned along the coast from San Diego Coast to North Coast Redwoods districts, in numerous state recreation areas, Lake Tahoe’s Sierra District parks, and several state vehicular recreations areas.
State park lifeguards serve in a variety of specialty assignments including state park peace officers, emergency medical technician, K-9 handlers, rescue boat/rescue water craft operator/deckhand, scuba search and rescue, junior lifeguard program instruction, swiftwater and technical rescue, airborne search and rescue, firearms and defensive tactics instructor, all-terrain vehicle operations, aircraft operations, licensed drone operators, alpine search and rescue, desert park emergency response teams, and more. While there have been many changes in the lifeguard profession over the last 75 years, the state park lifeguard service remains steadfast in its commitment to the core principles of lifesaving: prevention, readiness, professionalism, teamwork and public service excellence.
Also, the 75th Anniversary of Lifeguard Service hosted by the California State Lifeguard Association will take place August 3-5 in Huntington SB. Find more details about the celebration here.
|
