Newport Beach Junior Guards program begins

Thousands of Newport Beach Junior Guards headed to the beach for the start of the 2012 program Monday, swarming toward the Balboa Pier and junior guards headquarters on foot, by car, by ferry and by bicycle in their trademark red uniforms.

Newport Beach Fire Chief Scott Poster was on hand to welcome the guards, who were divided by age groups before beginning their activities.

Junior Guards trains 1,300 kids in ocean safety each summer in a program that ends in mid-August. Tryouts for the program took place in February.

--Amy Senk, Corona del Mar Today