New lifeguard and paramedic headquarters opens

Avalon's new state-of-the-art lifeguard and paramedic headquarters has been formally opened..

Lifeguards stationed at Baywatch Avalon cover approximately 40 square miles of the island and 10 miles out to sea, providing essential emergency services to the community.

The lifeguards have never had a permanent "home," county officials said, adding that the county had to rent a condo for the lifeguards to sleep in, but the emergency equipment had to be stored in another location. The new building provides housing for lifeguards.

The construction of the facility was paid for 100 percent by Los Angeles County at a cost of $4.27 million.

The county now requires that all of its buildings meet the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design silver certified, but the new Avalon Lifeguard Headquarters will receive a gold certification, making it the second fire department facility to achieve this design level, officials said.