September, after Labor Day, there are no lifeguards on OG beaches. Prosper Bellizia photograph © Blogfinger staff. 2016
TO THE EDITOR: No Way Jose
Yesterday morning, while biking along Bradley Beach’s boardwalk, I observed the Chief of Police and one of his officers putting up red “no swimming” flags on the flagpoles. I praised him for this warning. Today, I saw those red flags flying again.
What about Ocean Grove?
I have had three conversations with OGCMA beach staff and others about this subject during the past decade (with no satisfaction). I have suggested that on summer days when the ocean is rough, they keep a red flag up in the evening (when lifeguards are off duty). I have suggested that they raise a red flag in September when the ocean is rough and the season is over (but swimmers may still be coming).
I have received such inane replies as:
“Who will raise and lower the red flag?”
“People should know better than to go in the ocean when it is rough.”
“Everyone has enough common sense to stay out of the ocean when they see big waves.”
“When lifeguards are not present, we have a sign that says swim at your own risk.”
Our Ocean Grove lifeguards are excellent. But they may not be around after hours or after season to save someone.
Will it take a drowning in the ocean off Ocean Grove Beach for the OGCMA to take this matter seriously?
SUFFERING SURFER
The writer is a resident of Ocean Grove
September 19, 2017
OGTS : Average sunset time in Summer is ~ 8pm . As you said lifeguards are only on until 7:30 . As I said they should stay on until after sunset – 8:30 . Just an hour longer . I did not say they should be on 24/7/365 .
While proper adult supervision is a great concept & idea in reality it just doesn’t happen . If it did we wouldn’t have juvenile crime and drug usage . Yet we do .
Here is our Blogfinger article about lifeguards at Florida beaches:
Florida beaches on Blogfinger March 2016
According to the Asbury Park Press and Asbury Sun, two adult swimmers were rescued by the AP fire department Wednesday afternoon. The woman was taken to the hospital.
Entering rough water like we’ve had the past few days is not only irresponsible, it is selfish (as in exposing firefighters or any other would-be rescuers to unnecessary risk and possible harm).
Frank S: “immature irresponsible minors” lives are most certainly very important; that’s where proper adult supervision by a parent or guardian comes into play.
It’s unreasonable to expect lifeguards to be on duty 24/7/365. During the season, a crew of OG guards stay on until 7:30 PM. I’m not sure if any other town around us keeps guards on that late.
Keeping guards on later into September would be difficult since most guards are in school, so you start losing them in late August.
If persons want to swim at an unguarded beach or in bad conditions, they have the freedom to do so at their own risk, as unwise as that may be.
Maybe no one should be allowed east of the boardwalk when the beach is unguarded or the conditions are bad; that could save lives. Oh wait,the OGCMA did that last year when Hermine was passing by and there was outrage from most people because they could not go on the beach or in the water.
Blogfinger called it a “nanny state”.
The reality is that there are set times when many beaches offer lifeguard protection. And there are other beaches that never offer lifeguard protection.
We should not expect someone to monitor the swimming conditions for us at an unguarded beach.
Some of us (guys), especially when we were under 25, made some very foolish decisions and found ourselves almost drowning in rough surf (literally or metaphorically). We thought that we were invincible. Somehow we survived and learned from our mistakes. Others did not survive.
If a red flag helps to scare off a swimmer, it might save a life.
OGTS : A no swimming flag probably would not have any impact on “those people” . However lifeguards would . Note that many of “those people” are immature irresponsible minors . Nonetheless their lives and safety are still important .
It seems to me that there is an established season with set hours that the beach has guards on duty. If a person wants someone to tell them if they can or can’t go into the water or how far to go into the water or expects to have someone be there to pull them out if they get into trouble then that person should wait to go swimming during the hours of operation.
If a person chooses to go swimming at an unguarded beach despite warnings when you pull the weather up on your phone or watch any weather report all warning of the dangers of swimming at unguarded beaches and in dangerous conditions and also ignore common sense then I don’t believe a no swimming flag would have any impact with those people.
At what point does a person take on the responsibility for their own actions, life and well-being?
On the subject of safety : During season OG should keep lifeguards on duty until say 1/2 hour past sunset.
Last summer, I was even told by beach office staff (NOT by lifeguards) “when our lifeguards are off duty, it is not our responsibility!”
Maybe the red flag should just stay up 24/7 until the lifeguards go back on duty?
I guess that the paying, out of town customers are gone. We are on our own.