Shows
Deep Dive Into Water SafetyDeep Dive: An Interview with Drasko BogdanovicEpisode Notes
Drasko Bogdanovic Reframing Water Safety
Drasko Bogdanovic is a California State Parks ocean lifeguard, flight paramedic, educator, and the founder of The Lifeguard Project, a national storytelling and advocacy platform focused on reframing how lifeguarding and drowning prevention are understood. His work aligns closely with Hawaiʻi, widely recognized as the epicenter of water safety, where the ocean demands exceptional expertise, vigilance, and cultural awareness.
Drawing from frontline experience, Drasko approaches drowning prevention not as a series of isolated accidents, but as a predictable and preventable public health issue. Through The Life...
2026-01-2155 min
The Lifeguard Project| Ep.19 | Don Lester: Inside the World of Swift Water RescueDon Lester is a veteran swift water and technical rescue professional with extensive field experience across firefighting, emergency medical response, and advanced rescue instruction. Over the course of his career, Don logged more than 150 days per season on the water and served as both a Swift Water Rescue instructor and a Rescue 3 International instructor trainer.Known for his thoughtful and disciplined approach, Don emphasizes continuous learning and risk awareness in dynamic water environments. This episode is essential listening for lifeguards, firefighters, river professionals, and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of water rescue safety.
2025-12-231h 43The Lifeguard Project| S.5 | Expression Session: Inspiring Epilogue from "Stories from Sea Level" by Ed VodrazkaLifeguard Legend Ed Vodrazka (Eddie V) recites the inspirational epilogue from his book - Stories from Sea Level.This book is a hand-picked assemblage of truly exceptional ocean-related events which occurred within the 50-year span between 1969 and 2019. The lifeguards featured in these stories work for various agencies between San Diego and the Sonoma Coast. Of note, the lifeguards themselves provided the author with the details and specifics necessary to accurately immortalize their remarkable and dramatic events. This collection of their accounts are offered by the author as a sincere homage to all lifeguards (past, present, and future) wh...
2025-12-1406 minThe Lifeguard Project| Ep.18 | Greg Bonann: Producer of BaywatchWelcome to a very special episode on the Lifeguard Project podcast. Today, we get to sit down with Greg Bonann, the creator and producer of Baywatch. At its peak, Baywatch became the most-watched television show in the world, airing in over 140 countries and reaching more than a billion viewers each week.Today, Greg shares his journey from his early start as a kid facing challenges to his first rescues as an LA County lifeguard. Moments that shaped his purpose long before Hollywood came calling. And now 30 years later, Baywatch is returning in 2026 with Greg once again leading...
2025-11-111h 56The Lifeguard Project| Ep.17 | Steve Long: Life, Leadership, and a Career in LifeguardingToday I interview Steve Long. Steve was a California State Parks lifeguard, and maybe the only lifeguard who never passed lifeguard training yet was chosen by leadership to Excel and fast track into leadership roles throughout his career.Steve worked in the golden age of lifeguarding in California and ended up as a supervising peace officer for California State Parks in the San Clemente area. Steve and I discuss, not just lifeguarding, but some of his personal philosophy on life and much, much more as always.00:00 Introduction to Steve Long's Lifeguard Journey
2025-10-152h 10The Lifeguard Project| R.1 | Rescue Testimonial | Caught in a Rip Current : Manhattan Beach, CAThis Rescue Testimonial from Emily Eisenberg explains how she got into trouble and finally rescued from a rip current in Manhattan Beach in Los Angeles County on September 20th, 2020.Emily has a swimming background and very knowledgable about contacting lifeguards and approaching the beach safely. This day when there was less staffing, she found herself taking a dip and getting caught in a rip current with her friend. She expresses her feelings of shame and nervousness to ask for help from a surfer, and also how it was difficult to express to her friends what had happened.
2025-09-2023 minThe Lifeguard Project| S.4 | Expression Session: "Red Isn't Armor" by: Drasko BogdanovicRed Isn't Armor is an article by Podcast host Drasko Bogdanovic published in Wilderness Medicine Magazine regarding the misunderstood nature of lifeguarding, mental health, and drowning. You can find the article online to reference some of the photos included.https://wms.org/magazine/magazine/1574/Red-Isn-t-Armor/default.aspxDrasko Bogdanovic is a California State Parks Ocean Lifeguard, Flight Paramedic, and photographer with a focus in prehospital care, aquatic rescue, and drowning prevention. With extensive experience in lifeguarding, EMS, and education, he has trained lifeguards, EMTs, paramedics, and law enforcement officers across California and internationally. As founder...
2025-09-1009 minThe Lifeguard Project| Ep.16 | John Carpenter: 100 years of Newport Beach Lifeguard HistoryWelcome to this episode of the Lifeguard Project Podcast, where I interview Newport Beach, lifeguard John Carpenter. John started as a YAP or Youth Employment Program in 1969 and has served with the Newport Beach Lifeguard Service for 50 years, from 1970 to 2020. During his time, he had certain accolades like training instructor for the Rookie Training Academy Lifeguard of the Year in 1985.Cadet program coordinator, all American swimmer at Costa Mesa High School in 1971, Orange Coast College National Champion in water polo in 1972, and has been a biology teacher for 40 years as well as a water polo and swim...
2025-09-091h 59The Lifeguard Project| Ep.15 | Mike Martino: Pioneers of the Sonoma CoastWelcome to this episode of The Lifeguard Project Podcast, where today I interview Mike Martino. Mike is a California State Parks lifeguard who started as a seasonal and throughout his career, worked his way up all the way to the aquatic specialist or chief lifeguard of California State Parks. Not only is he a lifeguard for life, but he also has become quite a lifeguard historian and represent some of the early lifeguard pioneers who made their way up in the Sonoma coastline in the north of California.The Sonoma coastline is what we focus on today...
2025-08-281h 22The Lifeguard Project| Ep.14 | David Rodriguez: Watchtower and Lifeguard DataWelcome to this episode of the Lifeguard Project Podcast, where I interviewed David Rodriguez. David is one of the early founders of Watchtower, a digital command center for Lifeguards. Watchtower is a mobile platform that's tailored to every agency's needs as far as rescue's, data, end of your reports, and a lot of other techy kind of stuff.We won't get into the details here. I'll let David do the explaining in this episode. However, if you haven't seen Watchtower heard about it, it's definitely coming down the line. Today we talk about David's career and how...
2025-08-201h 10The Lifeguard Project| S.3 | Expression Session: More Than A Summer Job : Kalia ChalomKalia Chalom is a 2nd year San Diego City Lifeguard. She submitted this essay to The Lifeguard Project and I encouraged her to record her essay "More Than a Summer Job" because it is so powerful. It encapsulates an inspirational take on the lifeguard culture and simplifies the lifeguard condition. Listen along as she reads her very own words which tread softly but strike deep chords about what it means to be a lifeguard. Goosebumps and tears incoming.You can find the essay along with more of her writing here:https://substack.com/@kaliasky
2025-08-1910 minThe Lifeguard Project| Ep.13 | Spencer Pirdy: Lifeguarding, Life, and the BEN DID GOSpencer Pirdy grew up in Newport Beach, CA and was a Newport Beach lifeguard. Spencer met Ben Carlson working with the Newport Beach Lifeguards and shares how he became one of his early influences around lifeguarding, along with witnessing his older brother Travis Pirdy making rescues.On top of being a professional surfer and just an all-around good guy, Spencer sits on the board of the Ben Carlson Foundation. Spencer organizes the Ben Carson memorial paddle, which is a 30 mile paddle him to raise funds for the Ben Carlson Foundation, which goes from Catalina...
2025-08-121h 05The Lifeguard Project| Ep.12 | Andrew Schmidt: A Deeper Understanding Of DrowningWelcome to this episode of The Lifeguard Project Podcast, where today we interview Dr. Andrew Schmidt. Dr. Schmidt started as a junior lifeguard and progressed through the professional lifeguard ranks at Jacksonville Beach, Florida. He currently serves as an assistant professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Florida College of Medicine Jacksonville.He's a medical director of Jacksonville Beach Ocean Rescue, deputy Medical Director of University of Florida Health's Trauma one Flight program, and co-founder of Lifeguards Without Borders, a nonprofit dedicated to international drowning prevention. He's also a board...
2025-05-311h 38The Lifeguard Project| Ep.11 | Debbie Friedman: Early Women in LifeguardingDebbie was one of the first women to step into a lifeguard tower along the Camp Pendleton coast in 1978 and became the first female permanent Peace Officer Lifeguard with California State Parks.Debbie has served as a leader, a mentor, an international lifeguard, and a training instructor. But lifeguarding wasn't just a job for her, Debbie's husband and two kids also followed in her footsteps. Guarding the beaches along many spots in the California coastline. Now, Debbie is writing a book to shine a light on the overlooked stories of the early women lifeguards...
2025-05-051h 28
The Lifeguard Project| S.2 | Expression Session: Approaching Public Safety Media - CA Water Safety SummitThis mini session provides a brief introduction to the California Water Safety Strategy and focuses on a panel discussion from the CA Water Safety Summit in 2025 about the importance of media in transferring ideas of public safety and drowning prevention. We are all responsible in elevating the standard of lifeguard and safety messaging as we share media and raise the bar in how we transfer ideas and represent ourselves.Thanks for listening!Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-lifeguard-project/donations
2025-03-0624 minThe Lifeguard Project| Ep. 10 | Zoe Chait: Big Waves, Small Waves, and RescuesZoe Chait is a California State Parks Lifeguard working in Half Moon Bay, CA. Zoe started as a junior lifeguard and has progressed to lifeguarding professionally along with traveling the world chasing waves and competing. At 18 years old and just a few years of Lifeguard experience under her belt she’s able to offer a very unique perspective on life. Zoe has faced many unique challenges working in Half Moon Bay which is characterized by approximately 50 miles of rocky coastline, dangerous waves and beaches, with minimal resources. It is also home to Mavericks, which happens to be her home su...
2025-03-051h 12
The Lifeguard Project| S.1 | Expression Session: Tips for the Ben Carlson Lifeguard Scholarship ApplicationWelcome to the first "Expression Session" a Lifeguard Project mini podcast "session" designed for bite sized lifeguard topics and interesting information to fit into your day. We will be featuring all sorts of lifeguard topics and ideas as well as micro-learnings, and much more! Have an idea? Reach out!Topic: Tips on applying for The Ben Carlson Scholarship.This scholarship is for 3 open water lifeguards who will each be awarded $20,000 to help pay for college! Any lifeguard agency in the world is eligible.https://www.bencarlsonfoundation.org/scholarshipDeadline to apply...
2025-01-2316 minThe Lifeguard Project| Ep. 9 | Ed Vodrazka : Lifeguard Stories from the SoulEd Vodrazka (Eddie V) is a "lifeguard for life" with an extraordinary 47-year career. Born to immigrant parents in Canada, he became an ocean lifeguard in 1976 and went on to make history as the first paid foreign lifeguard in New Zealand in 1979. Ed’s career spans iconic roles, from California State Lifeguard to a permanent Peace Officer Lifeguard at San Diego’s coast, to working with LA County on Malibu and Zuma beaches. Along the way, he became a Registered Nurse, specializing in cardiology, and taught lifeguard training across the state for over 25 years. He’s personally trained over 6,000 lifegu...
2024-12-121h 20The Lifeguard Project| Ep. 8 | Alex Shaner : Rescue, Spinal Injury, and ResilienceAlex began his lifeguarding career after playing water polo at the University of the Pacific. Inspired by his brother, a California Parks lifeguard in Santa Cruz, Alex started working as a lifeguard in Santa Cruz in 2013. He quickly became immersed in the ocean community as a lifeguard, surfer, and body surfer, eventually rising to a supervisor role.In March 2017, Alex transferred to North County San Diego. On August 17, 2017, while body surfing during a physical training break, he struck a sandbar and was knocked unconscious. When he regained consciousness, Alex experienced one of the most profound moments of...
2024-11-131h 22The Lifeguard Project| Ep. 7 | Huntington Beach Fire Chief Scott Haberle : LeadershipChief Scott Haberle serves as the Fire Chief for the City of Huntington Beach and has a strong track record of effective citywide collaboration resulting in enhanced emergency service delivery and leadership development. His 32-year fire service career has given him a wide variety of experience.Today, Chief Haberle discusses his take on leadership throughout EMS, Fire, and how it all fits into lifeguarding. Frankly speaking this conversation can benefit anyone, in any rank, of any field, as Chief Haberle expands the subject of leadership which can be applied throughout all service based professions.What...
2024-10-251h 20The Lifeguard Project| Ep. 6 | Stories from the Victim: The Ben Carlson Day Rescue 2024This episode recounts a firsthand point of view from David Villareal, who was rescued by the Newport Beach Lifeguard's after being sucked out by a strong rip current. The rescue happened on July 6, 2024, the 10 year anniversary of the death of Ben Carlson, a Newport Beach Lifeguard who died in the line of duty while making a rescue. July 6, 2024 brought a heat wave with large swell and massive beach crowds to Newport Beach, CA. David was caught rip current, struggling to stay afloat, when the quick actions of lifeguards on the Sea Watch Rescue Vessel were able to...
2024-09-281h 00The Lifeguard Project| Ep. 5 | (Part 2) Lifeguards for Life: Mike Silvestri and Mike BrousardThis conversation represents over 100 years of lifeguarding experience in a single room discussing virtually every aspect of lifeguarding. Mike Silvestri (Mestri) and Mike Brousard (Bruiser) are career lifeguards who began lifeguarding in California in the 1970's. They have been intimately involved in the profession and bring a whole new meaning to what it means to be "Lifeguards for Life"."The Mikes" discuss everything from the early days of lifeguarding, how the job has changed, rescues, junior lifeguards, the first female lifeguards, and some of their best and worst days at work. This conversation is highly inspirational from...
2024-08-161h 08The Lifeguard Project| Ep. 5 | (Part 1) Lifeguards for Life: Mike Silvestri and Mike BrousardThis conversation represents over 100 years of lifeguarding experience in a single room discussing virtually every aspect of lifeguarding. Mike Silvestri (Mestri) and Mike Brousard (Bruiser) are career lifeguards who began lifeguarding in California in the 1970's. They have been intimately involved in the profession and bring a whole new meaning to what it means to be "Lifeguards for Life"."The Mikes" discuss everything from the early days of lifeguarding, how the job has changed, rescues, junior lifeguards, the first female lifeguards, and some of their best and worst days at work. This conversation is highly inspirational from...
2024-08-161h 24The Lifeguard Project| Ep. 4 | Dr. Chris Lowe : CSULB Shark Lab Director"Hey Lifeguard, are there sharks out there?!"Dr. Chris Lowe, a distinguished figure in marine biology and the Director of the Shark Lab at California State University, Long Beach. He brings over 35 years of expertise in studying sharks, rays, and bony fishes, focusing on their behavior, physiology, and ecology. For the past 15 years, he and his students have delved into the world of juvenile white sharks along the southern California coast. Utilizing cutting-edge technology and educational tools, Dr. Lowe and his team collaborate closely with lifeguards and the public to demystify the lives of sharks and clarify...
2024-07-251h 09The Lifeguard Project| Ep. 3 | Mark Cunningham : North Shore Lifeguard and Renowned BodysurferMark Cunningham is a retired North Shore Lifeguard of 30 years, spending a majority of his career guarding the infamous surf break "Pipeline" at 'Ehukai Beach Park, Hawaii. Mark is well known for his contributions and accomplishments in the world of bodysurfing. Mark and I discuss his early roots in becoming a lifeguard, bodysurfing, lifeguarding on the North Shore, and how it has all shaped his life.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-lifeguard-project/donations
2024-06-221h 06The Lifeguard Project| Ep. 3 | Sharon Mckeeman: Perspectives of A "Lifeguard Mom"Sharon McKeeman is a mother, military spouse, author, and visual and performing artist. She has lived in Southern California with her husband, three sons, and daughter for almost 15 years. As a mother who came to learn about the ocean later in life, Sharon shares her perspective on the healing and relentlessness of the ocean which developed from watching her sons participate in junior lifeguard programs. Sharon shares stories of her own loss which led to signing up her sons in Junior Lifeguards in order to create a safe environment for them to learn about the ocean.Sharon...
2024-06-171h 02The Lifeguard Project| Ep. 1 | Dr. William Koon : PHD on Prevention of Coastal DrowningDr. Will Koon is a beach Lifeguard from California who recently completed a dissertation titled "Expanding the Evidence Base for Coastal Drowning Prevention". Will currently works as the National Manager of Drowning Prevention Strategy for Royal Lifesaving Australia.Drowning is recognized as one of the leading causes of accidental death internationally and we have little data to be able to direct the needed behavior changes to prevent it. Drowning is defined as "the process of experiencing respiratory impairment from submersion or immersion in liquid" and has outcomes of being fatal, non-fatal, and non-fatal with morbidity (lasting health...
2024-05-301h 45The Lifeguard ProjectIntroducing The Lifeguard ProjectWelcome to The Lifeguard Project where we discuss the often misrepresented professional rescue work of Lifeguards. The project is aimed to educate and inspire while also speaking on topics regarding water safety as well as the global issues of drowning. That means almost any conversation regarding the ocean or water is on the table.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-lifeguard-project/donations
2024-05-2800 min
The Mark Schulein Passion Project#12 Drasko Bogdanovic + The Lifeguard Project: Lifeguard, EMS, Stud, & Founder of The Lifeguard ProjectDrasko’s passion for public safety and serving the public is crystal clear and has inspired and driven him to focus on educating the public and shining a bright light on the importance and the under-recognized value and responsibilities of ocean lifeguards. The Lifeguard Project has partnered with the Ben Carlson Foundation to widen the reach of this imperative campaign. This is a must listen. Drasko; thank you for your passion and determination to serve.
2024-02-271h 19