When Mitch and Hobie are walking down the beach after a tough day, they notice a strange smell in a tunnel. When they have entered the tunnel, Mitch recognizes the smell. Some workers have accidentally damaged a gas line. One of the workers drops his cigarette into the tunnel and Mitch and Hobie have to run out before it explode.
This long-running series follows the adventures of a team of lifeguards on the crowded beaches of Los Angeles County. Veteran lifeguard Mitch Buchannon watches over the younger lifeguards that come and go with each passing season as they keep the beaches safe for vacationers. Frequently he must take action to save them from the raging seas and from the raging tempers that sometimes flare up between the young guards in this stressful job.