About Us

Established in September 2025, Outer Banks Water Safety is a new service backed by over 30 years of combined ocean rescue experience, both locally on the Outer Banks and internationally in Australia. Our mission is to keep the Outer Banks safe through professional, contracted water safety services. We proudly serve the town of Duck, NC, providing a full ocean rescue service to ensure residents and visitors can enjoy the water with confidence.

Photo: Callaway Ramsey

Leadership

  • Riley Young

    Director

    Riley is a part-time Dare County EMT with over 15 years of combined ocean rescue experience across the Towns of Duck, Nags Head, and the Australian Lifeguard Service. Originally from Queensland, Australia, Riley grew up immersed in a world-renowned surf and lifesaving culture that shaped his approach to ocean safety and rescue operations.

    Since relocating to the Outer Banks in 2016, Riley has combined frontline emergency medical training with extensive lifeguarding experience to help elevate professional water safety standards along the coast. His leadership style is hands-on, disciplined, and community-focused, grounded in real-world rescue experience both locally and internationally.

  • Bri Young

    Operational Support

    Bri is an Outer Banks native and highly experienced ocean lifeguard with 15 years of professional ocean rescue expertise. Having grown up on the local beaches, Bri possesses an intimate understanding of Outer Banks surf conditions, weather patterns, and coastal hazards.

    She is the owner of Outer Surf, a well-established surf school and surf shop on the Outer Banks, and is a respected big-wave surfer with deep roots in the local surf and water safety community. Bri’s lifelong connection to the ocean, combined with her leadership and rescue experience, brings invaluable local knowledge and credibility to Outer Banks Water Safety’s mission.