Q&A
Additional safety measures implemented at beaches during summer
0:43:44
·
130 sec
Commissioner Donoghue details additional safety measures implemented at beaches during the summer in response to drowning incidents. These measures aimed to enhance beach safety and extend coverage.
- Parks enforcement patrol present on beaches until 9 PM using ATVs
- Collaboration with FDNY, NYPD, and Office of Emergency Management for drone surveillance
- New protocol during heat emergencies: lifeguards available in their shacks for 1 hour after beach closure
- Extended lifeguard presence until 8 PM during heat emergencies
Shekar Krishnan
0:43:44
And so this summer, when it became clear that too many drownings, in instance, were occurring at the beaches.
0:43:50
Aside from the distribution of material, you know, around the beaches, what other steps were taken by the Parks Department of Administration to create a safer environment at the beaches?
Sue Donoghue
0:44:00
Yes.
0:44:01
And thank you for that question.
0:44:02
So there were a whole host of things that we did, including, as I mentioned.
0:44:08
So we had parks enforcement patrol or out on the beaches after hours until 9 PM on 8 EVs, patrolling the beaches, helping to tell people not to be in the water.
0:44:20
We had incredible collaboration with our sister agencies at FDNY, NYPD, office of emergency management, flying drones from 9 o'clock in the morning until 9 clock at night.
0:44:32
It just helps extend our reach, further eyes on the beaches, helping to inform us both of wildlife and the water, and then also looking for situations that could be dangerous, helping to identify when there's a lost child, a whole number of things along that huge fourteen mile stretch of beaches, just another great way that we're able to help coordinate and communicate and to enhance beach safety.
0:44:58
And then another important thing that we did recognizing the challenges that we saw with so many heat emergencies.
0:45:07
We actually implemented a new protocol at our beaches during heat emergencies whereby our lifeguards would be available in their Shacks 1 hour after the beach closed.
0:45:19
So not in lifeguard chairs.
0:45:21
We didn't wanna give the impression that we wanted people in the water, but we did want to do what we could to help expand water safety during that period of time.
0:45:31
When we knew it's hot weather, people would be on the beaches later.
0:45:34
So we made lifeguards available in their location so that in the event of an emergency, they could run out.
0:45:41
They could be helpful working in coordination with our parks enforcement patrol officers.
0:45:46
FDNY PD, all the different eyes that are on the beaches.
0:45:50
We did extend our lifeguard till 8 PM during heat emergency situations.
