The Lifeguard Medal of Valor gives recognition to Los Angeles County Ocean Lifeguards for acts of heroism. The program is sponsored by the Redondo Beach Chamber of Commerce and was first awarded in 1981. It serves as a signal to the lifeguards that the public recognizes and appreciates the tremendous efforts they undertake. The bronze medal features a running lifeguard carrying a rescue can (buoy) and is presented to the honorees at the kickoff dinner prior to the annual International Surf Festival.
For a complete list of prior honorees please use the link above. Regiatration and contact information is also available above for those wanting to attend the event.
Scott Davey
Event Coordinator
Olivier O'Connell
2026 Surf Festival Dinner Honorees
2026 Medal of Valor Honoree
Section Chief Olivier O'Connell
Los Angeles County Fire Department Section Chief Olivier O’Connell is being recognized with the Lifeguard Medal of Valor.
On the morning of April 5, 2026, at approximately 11am, while off duty and driving though Long Beach, Section Chief O’Connell noticed smoke showing in a nearby residential neighborhood. Chief O’Connell responded to the area and was first on scene to a single-family home structure fire. While his companion called 911, Chief O’Connell, without any hesitation or personal protective gear, entered the burning home and located and assisted an elderly female from the home. Advised that there was also another person in the home, Chief O’Connell then returned into the burning structure, located the sleeping teenager and safely assisted her outside.
By 11:05, Long Beach Fire Department arrived to find the structure fully involved and according to the on-scene Fire Captain, “unsurvivable”. LBFD was able to extinguish the fire and once safe, enter the home to determine that no other victims were inside.
For his heroic and unselfish response, Section Chief Olivier O’Connell is recognized with the Lifeguard Medal for Valor.
2026 Medal of Valor Honorees
Ocean Lifeguard Specialist Hogan Inscore
Ocean Lifeguard Specialist Sam O'Hare
Los Angeles County Fire Department Ocean Lifeguard Specialist’s Hogan Inscore and Sam O’Hare are being recognized with the Lifeguard Medal of Valor.
On the evening of December 7, 2025, Ocean Lifeguard Specialist’s (OLS) Hogan Inscore and Sam O’Hare were both attending a wedding reception at a private home in San Pedro, when the outside balcony collapsed. Both immediately responded to the area, which was pitch dark and filled with debris from the collapse. Hogan and Sam, crawling through the damage, removed debris from the still unstable scene and identified 4 critical victims who need medical help and extrication. Thanks to their immediate response into a hazardous, complicated and arduous situation, and with no regard for their own safety, all four patients were successfully extricated, treated and transported to a local hospital. For this, Ocean Lifeguard’s Hogan Inscore and Sam O’Hare are recognized with the Medal of Valor.
2026 Distinguished Service Award
Ocean Lifeguard Sarah Foley
Los Angeles County Fire Department Ocean Lifeguard Sarah Foley is being recognized with the Lifeguard Distinguished Service Award.
On a crowded Saturday August 30th, 2025, on Santa Monica Beach at approximately 6:20 pm, Ocean Lifeguard (OL) Foley working the Tower 10 area, observed a male bodysurfer go “over the falls”, which with the surf conditions on that day, was not unusual. Ol Foley’s instinct and experience signaled to her that this incident was different, and she immediately sprinted to the victim, who had suffered a serious spinal axis injury, and was face down, unable to move and unconscious by the time OL Foley arrived. OL Foley with backup from her neighboring tower guards OL Diego Ramirez and OL Zachary Mitchell as well as Ocean Lifeguard Specialist (OLS) Sarah Crist and OL Katlin Robbins stabilized the victim and because of his injuries performed CPR, and administered oxygen, until further Lifeguard resources and Santa Monica Fire Paramedics arrived to provide ALS interventions. Because of the initial recognition by OL Foley and rapid response from Los Angeles County Lifeguards and Santa Monica Fire Paramedics, the victim survived.
2026 Lifeguard Lifetime Achievement
Senior Rescue Boat Paramedic Captain John Stonier - Retired
Retired Senior Rescue Boat Paramedic Captain John Stonier is being recognized with the Lifeguard Lifetime Achievement Honor.
John Stonier grew up a beach kid, at 16th Street Hermosa Beach, where his father was the Hermosa Beach Police Chief. He began his career as a Los Angeles County seasonal Lifeguard in 1960, and worked as an Ocean Lifeguard Specialist, Captain, Rescue Boat Captain Paramedic and finally as the Senior Rescue Boat Captain for the next 42 years, retiring at the Avalon Station, Catalina Island in 2002. During his career, John was part of the first Baywatch Operation at the Isthmus on Catalina in 1972. He was one of the first lifeguards trained to operate the Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber for the treatment of dive related injuries and continued to perform and help improve that innovative operation until he retired. In 1974-75, John and Senior Rescue Boat Captain Roger Smith became the world’s first Lifeguard Paramedics at the Isthmus Station. John is also a Lifeguard Medal of Valor recipient, the first National Surf Lifesaving Ironman champion, in addition to multiple National Championships for over 40 years. Rescue Boat Paramedic Captain (Ret.) John Stonier is a hero, mentor and example for all lifeguards, and this year’s Lifetime Achievement Honoree.
