NYC lifeguards changing the way they save lives as beaches reopen

NEW YORK - The opening of New York City’s beaches for the summer has brought with it changes to how lifeguards are trained to save lives.

The Parks Department says to ensure social distancing, seven pools were used instead of one for training and conditioning sessions were increased because city pools weren’t available until recently to trainees.

Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation will also no longer be administered, and CPR bags will be used instead, a practice already in place at beaches in Wildwood, New Jersey.

Municipalities across the nation have had to rethink safety precautions for both swimmers and lifeguards at beaches this summer in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Parks Department says it will have ambassadors on the beaches to encourage social distancing and hand out masks. IF an area becomes too crowded, visitors will be redirected to less crowded areas.