Eyes on the Water: New Lifeguard Towers for Cannon Beach

Protecting Our Shores: Help Us Build the Future of Lifesaving at Cannon Beach

Since 1938, the lifeguard program at Cannon Beach has stood as a pillar of ocean safety, protecting generations of visitors and locals alike. In 2024, this proud legacy took an exciting step forward when the Cannon Beach Fire District officially took over the program—strengthening its mission, expanding its reach, and ushering in a new era of professional lifesaving.

This year, in 2025, we earned recognition as a USLA-Certified Lifeguard Agency—an elite designation that reflects the highest national standards in ocean safety. Now, with your help, we’re working to bring our operations up to that same level by replacing one of the most critical—but outdated—tools in our arsenal: our lifeguard tower.

Why We Need Your Help

Our current lifeguard tower is over 40 years old. Constructed from aging wood and long past its prime, it no longer offers the safety or visibility our team needs. It's deteriorating and does not meet the functional demands of today’s coastal environment—or the needs of the 750,000+ people who visit Cannon Beach each year.

We are launching a fundraising campaign to purchase two new fiberglass surveyor lifeguard towers. These modern towers will:

Provide a safe, elevated vantage point for our lifeguards, improving visibility and response times

Stand up to the coastal elements, with durable, long-lasting fiberglass construction

Support a new, more efficient coverage/patrol model that increases coverage in the highest populated areas of the beach

Allow us to adapt to growing beach crowds and shifting tide patterns

More towers mean more eyes on the water, faster rescues, and a stronger lifeguard presence where it matters most.

A Legacy of Service — A Future of Safety

Your donation helps build more than a tower—it helps save lives. Lifeguards are the frontline of ocean safety, and their ability to protect our community depends on having the right tools in the right places.

As we continue to grow and evolve under the Fire District’s leadership, these new towers are a vital step toward ensuring that Cannon Beach remains one of the safest stretches of coastline in the Pacific Northwest.

We’ve stood watch for over 85 years. With your support, we’ll be ready for the next 85.

Donate today—and help us rise to the challenge.