City officials held a blessing Wednesday morning for a long-awaited lifeguard tower at Kalama Beach Park in Kailua.

The new tower will be staffed with five full-time lifeguards seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., offering more coverage for the north side of the popular 2.5-mile shoreline along Kailua Bay.

Kurt Lager, acting director of Honolulu Ocean Safety, said Kailua was one of several beaches on Oahu that needed more lifeguard coverage.

“This tower is going to save lives,” said Lager at the blessing. “With this tower being here, we will be able to make preventative actions and be at-scene on rescues.”

Over the past five years, lifeguards stationed at Kailua Beach Park have responded to more than 500 emergency calls, he said. Roughly 100, or 20% of them, were on the Kalama side.

The 911 calls in the area have been for everything from swimmers and boaters in distress to medical issues, missing persons and shark sightings.

On Tuesday before the tower opened, a 40-year-old man was rescued from a rip current at Kalama Beach and taken to the hospital after swallowing water. Mobile lifeguards stayed in the area for the rest of the day, and rescued three more swimmers, including a child who got into trouble.

There have been tragedies along the seemingly innocuous shoreline, advertised by travel sites as a less crowded “local beach” with sandy shore and turquoise water.

In the summer of 2019, a soldier in the U.S. Army stationed at Schofield Barracks apparently drowned after getting into trouble in the area, despite efforts by good Samaritans on surfboards to rescue him.

In December 2021, Taiwan-born choreographer and dancer Nai-Ni Chen was pulled unconscious from waters in the area on a Sunday morning.

She had apparently gone swimming alone that morning while on a vacation with family, and was unable to be revived.

The next lifeguard tower at Kailua Beach is about a mile away, near the Kaelepulu Canal. Another one is at the south side, near the boat ramp.

Honolulu City Council member Esther Kia‘aina, who helped secure funding for the tower in last year’s budget, said it was exciting to see the new tower.

Kia‘aina said many local families go to Kalama Beach and had been asking for a lifeguard station there. She swims there as well, and knows how rough it can be on certain days.

“It will alleviate the burden on lifeguards stationed at Kailua Beach Park from covering this large area,” she said, “improve response times and ensure greater peace of mind for local families and visitors who enjoy Kalama Beach.”

The beach is frequented mostly by residents, but has also become increasingly popular among visitors. There are also a number of vacation rentals in the area.

On Tuesday, signs were posted warning of rip currents and stinging Portuguese man-of-war.

The latest addition comes about a year after another lifeguard tower was installed at Kahe Point Beach Park, known to most as Electric Beach, in Waianae.

Electric Beach had grown in popularity among visitors and residents alike, and the local neighborhood board had rallied for a permanent lifeguard tower due to safety concerns.

Last year, a California man drowned while snorkeling there during his honeymoon. Many others have gotten into trouble while snorkeling or swimming there over the years, according to the community.

The Electric Beach tower was the city’s first addition after 11 years, and more are planned in years to come.

The Kalama Beach tower cost roughly $400,000, which includes its purchase and installation, along with rescue gear, medical supplies, staff, and an all-terrain vehicle.

“Our Honolulu Ocean Safety Department is stepping up like never before, making sure that everyone who enjoys our beaches feels secure and protected in our waters,” said Mayor Rick Blangiardi in a news release. “Our commitment to public safety is unwavering, and we’re dedicated to bringing this heightened level of care and vigilance to every beach across the island, so residents and visitors can enjoy our beautiful shores with peace of mind.”