NYC to extend lifeguard shifts during heat waves
Rockaway Beach. Photo by Shinya Suzuki on Flickr
New York City will extend lifeguard shifts at public beaches during heat waves after a series of drownings this summer. Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday said 66 lifeguards will be on call for emergencies until 8 p.m., two hours after beaches close, during extreme heat. Swimming will still not be permitted after 6 p.m. and lifeguards will not sit on the stands so they don’t “give the false impression that the beaches are open and that it’s safe to swim,” Deputy Mayor Meera Joshi said.
The protocol will be implemented if the city’s emergency heat plan is activated. The city defines extreme heat events when the heat index is 100 degrees or higher for one or more days, or 95 degrees or higher for two or more consecutive days.
Of the roughly 400 lifeguards who sit on the beach from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., a “skeleton crew” of 66 guards will stay for two extra hours in “shacks” instead of chairs during extreme heat. The guards will work with the fire department, police, and NYC Parks officers during an emergency.
The longer lifeguard shifts come after the city saw six drownings at beaches this summer, the most in a summer since 2019. According to the New York Post, there were five drownings recorded all of last year.
“Unfortunately, we had a series of drownings, particularly with young people, so we want to do everything we can to alleviate that threat, if not eradicate it altogether,” Adams said during a press conference on Tuesday. “It’s about enhancing beach safety, and we want to continue to do what’s possible.”
The city has faced a lifeguard shortage since the pandemic. According to Gothamist, the city has 922 lifeguards currently on staff, including 400 at beaches. Officials have said 1,500 lifeguards would be needed to staff all beaches and pools fully.
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