"There was a lot of rip current."

Between July 1 and 7, San Diego Fire-Rescue Department's lifeguards and other staff performed 24,118 preventative acts, 1229 water rescues, and 216 calls for service — according to the San Diego Lifesaving Association. San Diego County reportedly had 1,775,9000 beach attendees during those seven days.

On July 3, a 911 caller said that his friend fell on the cliff below the Salk Institute at Torrey Pines, per a Newsreel Media|San Diego post on YouTube. The first responders were unsure of their exact location because of a language barrier. Then, a helicopter was called into the Torrey Pines Gliderport.

San Diego County had 1,775,9000 beach attendees those seven days.

"A female patient who fell on one of the trails on Black's Beach," said a dispatcher in part on the Newsreel Media|San Diego clip. "Someone just tripped and fell [because] it was dark and hit their head."  Then, six first responders were depicted carrying the rescuee on a stretcher.

"It's a huge weekend, and it's what we build to," said chief James Gartland of the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department in a FOX 5 San Diego clip. "It's what everybody trains for. You get ready, and then you get tested. We just happened to be tested for four days solid."  

During the holiday weekend, Presly Danko from Colorado noticed "a lot of lifeguards jumping and running on jet skis and stuff," she said on the Fox 5 clip. Another beachgoer added, "There was a lot of rip current, and they rescued a little girl. The lifeguards here—I kid you not, they're unreal."

"Someone just tripped and fell [because] it was dark and hit their head."

The fire and rescue department had its hands full of surf, scuba, swimming, cliff rescues, boating assessments, medical responses, and lost children.

The latter two on the list were depicted when a Spanish tourist visited Mission Beach at the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster. His "nephew got stung by a stingray, and the lifeguards helped him out. Is there a donation box for the excellent service?" he asked his fellow Redditors.

"They could get fired for accepting tips," responded a former lifeguard for ten years. "If you insist, be sneaky about it. The best way to make a lifeguard's day is to bring them food."

Al Bruton posted a rescue photo from that week on Facebook with the caption, "Swimmer rescue with large surf at Children's Pool." A nearby surfer explained that there were "strong south swells Friday and Saturday (July 5-6)."

Surfer Michael Monjelo said, "One of your lifeguards—I think his name is Tanner (had blonde hair) – helped two little kids, and did such an amazing job with everybody involved. What a professional. My wife is writing a letter to the lifeguards detailing the entire event."

Tammy added, "My dad (state lifeguard for 27 years) says the prevents are the most important and impressive. I agree. Keep up the good work."

"Prevents" are short for preventative acts, including when lifeguards enforce rules and regulations by whistling or yelling into a megaphone or a PA system, hoping the swimmers out at sea or hikers on the cliffs can hear them. There were 24,118 preventative acts during the July 4th week.

San Diego lifeguards and the San Diego Police Department were present at boat launch locations across the county. They reportedly conducted over 500 inspections, leading to 82 boaters being turned away for lack of required safety equipment and documentation, boat condition, operator violations, environmental regulations, and other reasons.