By Angela Barwick- NorthMyrtleBeachOnline.com

North Myrtle Beach June 14, 2007--The City of North Myrtle Beach has stepped up to the plate in 2007 to improve beach services to visitors and locals this summer. Starting in April, the City began offering chair and umbrella rentals, as well as roving concession carts for beachgoers.

These amenities will be provided, while freeing up lifeguards to do the one job that is most important to anyone on the NMB beaches – keeping the visitors safe and saving lives.

The City of North Myrtle Beach has begun its first season of providing Beach Services.

Concession workers have been hired, and chair and umbrella rentals are available along both North Myrtle Beach.

The rental rates were $10 for chairs and $15 for umbrellas per full day. Other rental rates and combinations were available.

In years past, several private companies provided a combination of lifeguard services, chair rentals and concessions. However this year, the City has fine-tuned the operation to offer the optimum service to those who enjoy the NMB beaches.

Mike Junga, North Myrtle Beach City Beach Services Manger, outlined the goals of the new program.

Junga said, “The intent is for the lifeguards to be strictly responsible for the safety of our citizens from now on. They will not have to worry about doing anything but acting as lifeguards. They no longer will have to think about renting beach chairs. After all, our number one priority is the safety and well being of the folks who are on our beaches”.

Lifeguards hired for this program have completed rigorous training in lifesaving, first aid and public safety. A full staff of qualified lifeguards will be protecting swimmers this summer, with approximately ninety percent being hired from the local population.

Junga stated, “This [local hires] was a real plus as lifeguards who have lived in the area will be even more aware of the North Myrtle Beach waters and what to expect”.

“The City was pleased to be able to hire such a large percentage of locals for the staff”, he added.

Chair and umbrella rentals will be handled by concession workers hired by the City. The workers will ensure that beach chairs and umbrellas are set up each morning along North Myrtle Beach’s nine miles of shoreline and available for beachgoers every day from April to October. Rental rates for chairs and/or umbrellas range from a half day to a weekly rate.

Also newly available to those visiting NMB beaches will be concession vehicles that will cruise the sand during the season. This ATV-type vehicles look much like a beverage cart as found on golf courses. They will offer a variety of sandwiches, beverages, candy, sunscreen and frozen lemonade. The City has strived to keep the prices of items reasonable, with no items costing over $3.

Starting early each morning, the vehicles will be escorted by police cruisers to the beaches from their warehouse near City Hall. Each concession worker will have a set area to cover, with approximately 10 vehicles being operational on the beaches on any given day. The workers will be aided by two concession supervisors, who will make sure that they maintain supplies for the day.

“While the lifeguards and concession workers are on duty to protect and serve those citizens and tourists on the beach, they are also ‘the City ambassadors’ as well. Not only can they do their jobs, but they can also offer advice, directions and help to make everyone’s experience at the beach a good one,” concluded Junga.

For information related to the financial aspects of City-run beach services click on http://www.northmyrtlebeachonline.com/modules/AMS/article.php?storyid=988