NYC adding lifeguards to beaches during heat waves after recent drownings
NEW YORK - After a number of drownings, including off the waters of Rockaway Beach, New York City is implementing a new emergency response that will add lifeguards to the city's beaches during heat waves.
The so-called Heat Wave Protocol will call for lifeguards to remain on duty until 8 p.m. to respond to emergencies if needed.
"The point is to have a skeleton on-call first responder group, and that has been, again, another historic change in the way lifeguard staffing works in the city," said Deputy Mayor of Operations, Meera Joshi.
However, this does not mean swimmers are allowed to swim until 8 p.m., swimming hours will remain from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Calls for new swim safety measures after drownings
There is a new push for greater swimming safety in New York City following the apparent drownings of two teenagers' off of Rockaway Beach last month. In response, local leaders say they want to focus more on recruiting lifeguards and extending their hours. FOX 5 NY's Jessica Formoso has the story.
Officials say more than 60 lifeguards will be on standby.
"It's not all the lifeguards. It'll be about 66 lifeguards that will stay on call at the particular shacks, and there are more than dozens of them across our city beaches, they'll stay there, not on the chairs because they don't want to give the false impression that the beaches are open and that it's safe to swim," said Joshi.
Earlier this summer, Queens borough president Donovan Richards called on the mayor to extend beach hours and the number of hours lifeguards are on duty.
"We don't have the option when you've had six lives lost in the city of New York already before the summer even ends, we still got more than a month left at the beach, we have to do something different," Richards said.
He says the intentions are there and he welcomes the new emergency plan but says more still needs to be done
The new protocol will go into effect during the next heat wave.