Lifeguard Appreciation Day – Jul. 31, 2026

Expected Lifeguard Appreciation Day Deals

For Lifeguard Appreciation Day, businesses often show gratitude through special offers and recognition programs. Expect local restaurants and coffee shops to provide discounts for lifeguards with valid ID, while aquatic centers might host appreciation events. Swimwear brands like Speedo and TYR Sport could offer exclusive deals on gear, and water parks such as Six Flags or Great Wolf Lodge might run internal recognition programs for their staff. Look for local community pools and beaches to organize thank-you gatherings. We will update this page with confirmed live deals as July 31 approaches.

History of Lifeguard Appreciation Day

The first celebration of Lifeguard Appreciation Day was in 2020. Ellis & Associates, an organization that focuses on aquatic safety and risk management, founded the day on July 31, 2020, to increase appreciation and awareness about the relentless efforts of lifeguards in making pool facilities safe for its users.

The lifeguard profession became a necessity as a result of the increasing deaths and injuries recorded in aquatic facilities more than a century ago. Swimming became popular in 19th century America, where recreational facilities sprung up everywhere. But the more they opened the more drowning incidents took place in those facilities. Around 9,000 people reportedly drown yearly. To curtail these accidents, resorts installed lifelines in their pools but unfortunately, they were either too difficult to grab by users or not seen quickly enough. Although a rescue board was installed thereafter, it still didn’t adequately serve its purpose.

As efforts to reduce the frequency of drowning increased, some communities employed Police officers to serve as rescue teams at aquatic facilities. This measure, however, brought a decline in the number of law enforcement agents being present where needed. Subsequently, local governments decided to hire experts trained in water rescues. The word ‘lifeguard’ eventually became associated with these men and in 1912, the Young Men’s Christian Association organized a lifesaving service to prevent drowning incidences. Two years later in 1914, the American Red Cross Volunteer Lifesaving Corps was founded to train swimmers in saving lives and giving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (C.P.R.) The trained swimmers were deployed to their local communities to serve as lifeguards. Devices were also developed to help save drowning victims. An example of this is the famous rescue tube invented by Pete Peterson in 1935. Today, almost all recreational facilities and beaches employ the services of various lifeguards who collectively work to bring the levels of drowning incidents down to the bare minimum.

How Businesses Can Celebrate Lifeguard Appreciation Day