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Tower Zero on the Huntington Beach
Pier was dedicated as the new state-of-the art
lifesaving center for Huntington's busiest stretch of beach.
Replacing a termite-infested tower, it comes complete with a
first-aid room, central air conditioning, emergency phone,
restrooms and large windows best for surveillance. One of
the most photographed landmarks in Huntington Beach, books,
photos and postcards all date themselves if they show the
older tower with it's flat roof. When you visit the beach,
look up to the tower's green windows and watch the
lifeguards there on "bay watch", Huntington bay watch, that
is.
The lifeguards in Tower Zero describe its function in this
video.
Here is a plaque on Tower
Zero and the words written on it below:
IN COMMEMORATION OF MELVIN "MAX" BOWMAN
COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTOR, RETIRED
46 YEARS OF PUBLIC SERVICE AND LIFE SAVING
EDUCATION
ADOPTED BY THE
CITY COUNCIL ON FEB. 22, 2000
MAX BOWMAN BEGAN HIS CAREER AS A LIFEGUARD WITH
THE CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH IN 1954. HE
ADVANCED THROUGH THE RANKS OF LIFEGUARD
LIEUTENANT, CAPTAIN, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AND
DEPUTY DIRECTOR, AND SUBSEQUENTLY IN 1984 TO
DIRECTOR OF THE COMMUNITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
RETIRED IN 1990. WITH 36 YEARS OF PUBLIC
SERVICE, MAX FORGED A LEGACY OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS
AS A LIFEGUARD, DIRECTOR AND AS AN AMBASSADOR TO
WORLD LIFESAVING.
TRANSFORMING LIFE GUARDING
INTO A YEAR ROUND PROFESSIONAL MARINE SAFETY
OPERATION, MAX HELPED REFINE THE PERIMETER
DEFENSE SYSTEM DESIGNED TO SAFEGUARD THE PUBLIC
THROUGH PREVENTATIVE ACTIONS, MAX WAS
INSTRUMENTAL IN ACQUIRING MILES OF BEACH AREA TO
THE CONTROL OF CITY GOVERNMENT AND REPRESENTED
THE CITY AS A KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT NUMEROUS
PROFESSIONAL FORUMS, ADVOCATING THE JUNIOR
LIFEGUARD PROGRAM DESIGNED TO EDUCATE OUR YOUTH
AND RECRUIT FUTURE OCEAN LIFEGUARDS. MAX ALSO
HEADED MANY INTERNATIONAL LIFESAVING EDUCATIONAL
TOURS.
A CHARTER MEMBER IN THE LOCAL,
REGIONAL, NATIONAL AND WORLD LIFESAVING
ASSOCIATIONS, MAX SERVED ALL AS AN EXECUTIVE
MEMBER FROM 1964 THROUGH 1995, MIRRORING HIS
CAREER WITH THE CITY. MAX ADVANCED THROUGH THE
ORGANIZATION'S OFFICERS POSITIONS AND CULMINATED
HIS CAREER AS PRESIDENT OF WORLD LIFE SAVING,
1988-1993. FOR HIS DEDICATED TERM, HE WAS
RECOGNIZED AS AN HONORARY LIFE MEMBER IN ALL
FOUR ORGANIZATIONS. CONFERRED IN 1994 A GRAND
KNIGHT IN THE ORDER OF LIFE SAVING BY THE
INTERNATIONAL LIFE SAVING FEDERATION, MAX IS
WELL KNOWN IN LIFESAVING CIRCLES AROUND THE
GLOBE FROM ENGLAND TO AUSTRALIA AS AN
"AMBASSADOR TO WORLD LIFESAVING." HIS LEADERSHIP
SIGNIFICANTLY SHAPED A PROFESSION THAT IS
RESPECTED FOR ITS HEROISM AND COMMITMENT TO
PUBLIC SAFETY.
THIS DEDICATION IS
SIGNIFICANTLY SYMBOLIC IN THAT MAX WAS
INSTRUMENTAL IN PHYSICALLY DESIGNING AND
BUILDING THE ORIGINAL TOWER ZERO STRUCTURE IN
1963. MAX ALONG WITH CITY STAFF RAISED TOWER
ZERO ON THE PIER TO STAND AS THE FOCAL POINT FOR
OCEAN RESCUES FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS. FOR THESE
HISTORICAL REASONS AND FOR HIS EXTRAORDINARY
COMMITMENT TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE PROFESSION
AS AN "AMBASSADOR TO WORLD LIFESAVING." MAY THIS
DEDICATION CONSTITUTE A FITTING AND A RESPECTFUL
TRIBUTE TO A MOST DESERVING CHAMPION OF PUBLIC
SAFETY.
IN LOVING MEMORY OF MAX'S
WIFE, JUDITH DEE BOWMAN, WHO PERISHED ABOARD THE
EGYPT AIR CRASH ON OCTOBER 31, 1999.
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