Preparations are well underway to relaunch the city of South Haven’s beach lifeguard program this year.

The city council last year moved forward with a plan to bring back lifeguards after the community went without for more than two decades. Speaking to the council this past week, Police Chief Adam DeBoer said new beach safety manager David Figueredo is on the job and working hard each day to settle in and get things in place. He added the city has been looking for lifeguards and offered nine positions.

“We have a lot of athletes,” DeBoer said. “We have volleyball players. We have soccer players. We have track athletes. We have a couple of swimmers that are older and don’t necessarily have fresh swimming skills.”

DeBoer said the lifeguards are being put through rigorous training.

“We don’t lower our standards just to have people in seats. If we lower that standard, we put guards at risk and we put the public at risk.”

DeBoer said efforts will continue to find additional lifeguards.

As for equipment, he said the towers and chairs have been purchased and the city is waiting for them to be built. The manufacturer has a few other cities ahead of South Haven on its schedule, but DeBoer’s expecting the equipment as soon as it can be made.

DeBoer added the city is looking at purchasing some wetsuits for the lifeguards, but due to sizing considerations, that may be a bit tricky.