Nearly 2,000 ocean rescues occur as dangerous surf slams popular beaches this summer

A 10-year-old boy was standing in ankle-deep water at a California beach recently when he lost his footing and was pulled into the ocean by powerful surf.Ryder Williams, a 16-year-old California State Parks lifeguard, radioed for help and raced into the water at Seabright State Beach in Santa Cruz during the July 25 emergency, as Fox News Digital previously reported.The lifeguard's dramatic and widely hailed rescue of the boy — including by President Donald J. Trump, who invited the "heroic young man" and his family to the White House to be recognized — came during a weekend of extremely hazardous conditions along the California coast.TEXAS TEEN BITTEN BY BARRACUDA IN POPULAR VACATION SPOT AFTER BRACELET GLINTS IN WATERHundreds of miles south, Los Angeles County lifeguards performed nearly 2,000 ocean rescues as extreme heat sent large crowds to the beaches, according to the Los Angeles County Lifeguard Division.Water safety experts interviewed by Fox News Digital are urging beachgoers to take extra precautions as elevated surf and strong rip currents continue to affect portions of the Southern California coast, according to the National Weather Service.