Efforts are focused on increasing water safety and awareness. Another of CSLA's goals is the promotion of a positive and professional image of lifeguards. CSLA supports the highest professional goals of lifesaving and of the California State Park System, including public safety, law enforcement, interpretation and resource management. OUR DUTY Californians and visitors alike enjoy over 1,000 miles of scenic California coastline, which includes 244 miles of State Park beaches and parks. An additional 630 miles of State Park lake and river frontage creates a variety of aquatic recreational opporitunities for State Park visitors.
Aquatic recreation continues to rank as one of the most popular activities in California.
CSLA is proud of the fact that State Park beaches, lakes and rivers are among the safest in the world. In 1996, over twenty two million people visited State Park beaches and inland waterways. More than seven thousand of them were rescued by State Park lifeguards. I am proud, as are all Californians, of the great job our state park lifeguards do in making our beautiful beaches and parks the safest in the world. We are indeed blessed to have hundreds of miles of scenic coastline and your part in keeping it safe for our citizens is worthy of the highest praise.