Lifeguards will be at these Manatee County beaches a little later beginning Saturday

With summer nearly here, lifeguards will stay later on Manatee County beaches.

Beginning Saturday, the county’s marine rescue division will begin its extended summer hours. Coquina Beach and Manatee Public Beach, which are the only beaches in the county with professional lifeguard and medical rescue services, will have lifeguards from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. These extended hours will continue through Friday, Sept. 8 when they return to 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“Although the lifeguards are stationed at these two beaches, they are also dispatched by 911 operators to water emergencies along our waterways and beaches, so you will see them at various locations on and off the sand,” Marine Rescue Chief Joe Westerman said. “Lifeguards work continually to look for rip currents and to identify hazards that might affect beachgoers.”

The lifeguard towers have information such as current beach conditions, using “a warning flag system to alert patrons of relative safety levels,” according to a news release.

Daily beach conditions can also be found on Twitter @MCGPublicSafety.

This story was originally published May 22, 2017 at 2:50 PM with the headline "Lifeguards will be at these Manatee County beaches a little later beginning Saturday."