For 2025, the Wrightsville Beach Foundation honors the history of lifeguarding at Wrightsville Beach. Wrightsville Beach has a long prioritized water safety and lifeguards have played a crucial role in protecting swimmers and beachgoers since the town's incorporation in 1899.  Reportedy, obtaining beach patrol boats was the second action taken during the first town meeting! (The first action taken in that meeting was an ordinance restricting the roaming of goats, cows, and pigs!) In the early days, the town had to improvise to address public safety. In 1902, the town placed fifty foot long ropes, called lifelines, that were spooled into red boxes along the beach. If somebody in the ocean was in trouble, the rope would be thrown or taken out to them. In 1911, as crowds continued to grow, the town passed its first ever lifeguard ordinance. that required all island hotels employ an “active capable man” and have their own surf boat to accompany their guests when swimming. Long surfboats were anchored beyond the breakers and oars were utilized to reach those in trouble. This became the status quo for many years, but changes and improvements were still needed.  

In 1938, the town purchased a Hawaiian surfboard at the then high cost of $10. This allowed lifeguards to reach struggling swimmers faster from the beach and successful rescues increased.  
1940 was when real improvements started to happen. The town requisitioned four torpedo buoys, two first aid kits, reels, rope, and floats along with building the first life guard stand out of wood and posts. Construction of this first stand allowed guards to get a better view of the ocean and the stand was also where the rescue surfboard was located.  
 As the town grew, so did the number of lifeguard stands.  Many of the early guards were also proficient local surfers.  During World War II, women and boys too young for military service were trained to fill the gaps left by lifeguards who went to war. These women and boys then trained new lifeguards to take over when the men returned from war.  In 1964, the town created the first “Surfing/No Surfing Zones” to keep surfers and swimmers safely apart from each other. These zones still exist to this day.  Fast forward to the 1990’s where two major things happened. First, the lifeguard squad was renamed Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue which emphasized the professionalism and seriousness of their work. It was during that time that the team became part of the town’s fire department. Rumor has it both of these changes were inspired by the show “Baywatch” which was very popular at the time. It was in the 1990’s that wave runners were also introduced in rescues.  Today, the Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue (WBOR) Squad remains a division of the Town of Wrightsville Beach Fire Department. The squad is led by an Ocean Rescue Director and Ocean Rescue Captain who are also full time firefighters/EMTs. WBOR operates all terrain vehicles and personal water craft, and undergoes rigorous training including survival swims with the US Coast Guard. WBOR employs 92 seasonal lifeguards, staffing 14 lifeguard stands, and protecting approximately four miles of beach. Each summer WBOR makes between 200-400 rescues (Memorial Day to Labor Day). WBOR is certified as an advanced lifesaving agency y  the U.S. Lifesaving Association (USLA).  The Town of Wrightsville Beach is very proud of our Ocean Rescue squad for all the hard work they do to keep us safe, and for all the time and effort they put into training. They also compete at the regional and national level and have won back to back to back regional and national lifeguard championships.  In addition to keeping us safe today, WBOR is also training the next generation of lifeguards by introducing the role to 
kids in the Jeremy Owens Junior Lifeguard camp program  which runs every summer. The Wrightsville Beach  Foundation is a proud to sponsor scholarships for  participants in need so that they too can get the  experience of being a lifeguard. Lifeguarding is an honored  profession and we need men and women who answer that  call. Training young campers is a good start in capturing  their interest. There are many many names to honor when  remembering past lifeguards. Three such lifeguards are  memorialized with plaques on individual lifeguard stands. 
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