The newly formed Honolulu Ocean Safety Department presented its first separate FY 2026 budget to the Budget Committee on March 12, requesting an overall increase of roughly 17% and specific equipment and staffing to expand lifeguard coverage.

Director Kurt Lager opened the department’s presentation by noting the new agency’s facilities work: “We are nearing completion of our first facility ever being built for ocean safety and it's 107 year history that's gonna support the Kailua and Lanikai community,” he said.

Lager told the committee the proposed 2026 operating budget shifts roughly 86% of expenditures to salaries; the department proposed 10 new full‑time positions and 23 additional contract lifeguard positions (contract lifeguards are typically entry level and used to backfill vacations, injuries and approved absences). The department said it will transition contract roles into permanent positions as civil‑service lists permit.

Equipment and towers

The department requested funding to buy six lifeguard towers (about $1.02 million total), four lifeguard trucks (about $300,000 total), and a fleet of 12 jet skis (about $288,000 total). Lager said much of the current equipment and some smaller towers need replacement; the budget also includes solar PA systems and storage containers for lifeguard sites.

Coverage and programs

Lager said ocean safety plans include evaluating “hot spots” — locations with historical rescue and injury activity — to determine tower placement and to expand mobile responders. He described an intent to expand junior lifeguard programming and to increase weekend and holiday jet‑ski coverage in high‑use areas, with the long‑term aim of extended hour coverage for dawn‑to‑dusk protection.

Capital work

The department’s CIP request includes funds to finish Kailua’s new facility and for planning/design on a Waianae substation. Lager said most of the construction budget is for finishing the Kailua site and moving forward with substation planning.

Ending

Committee members commended the new department’s presentation and requested follow‑up on tower siting methodology, timing for the Kailua facility’s final completion and the department’s tablet/digital incident reporting rollout. Lager said the department had begun transitioning paper‑based incident reports onto a third‑party tablet platform and expected summer completion for the Kailua facility.