10 Beach Safety Tips that Every
Ocean Lifeguard Wishes You Knew
SUBMITTED BY MIKE HUDSON, CHIEF LIFEGUARD OF SEA BRIGHT OCEAN RESCUE
TheJournalNJ.com | JULY 2021 27
Every summer, beach lifeguards in New Jersey watch over hundreds of
miles of shoreline, protecting millions of people from the hazards of
the ocean. Most people who visit the main beaches during the summer
are not what lifeguards would consider “locals.” Some non-locals are easy
to spot; they have huge coolers and tents, play offensively loud music, carry
real steel shovels, drink beer from glass bottles, and lose their kids mul-
spend so much time on the beach that they know the rules and etiquette of
a safe day along the Jersey Shore. There are, however, a few things we wish
all beach patrons knew before running into the water with a beer in one
hand and a shiny, new, unwaxed skim board in the other, quickly winding
up in the emergency room in a neck brace eating hospital popsicles.
Always swim in front of a staffed lifeguard station and never
-
tive swim areas called DSAs. For beaches protected by a US-
close proximity to a staffed lifeguard station; this is known as
guarded area. The areas outside of the DSA may or may not be marked as
unguarded. However, if you stay within a marked designated swim area,
it’s a good bet that the lifeguards can see you.
is never a time when the beach and ocean is hazard-free.
Lifeguards throughout Monmouth County use ocean condi-
interact individually with each patron. Flags and signs are how
talk to the lifeguards. Professional ocean lifeguards don’t mind clarifying
risk when people have legitimate safety questions. If you are unsure of the
ocean conditions or your abilities in the ocean, stay out of the water unless
poor swimming ability and are quite dangerous in the surf.
Learn how to swim before entering the water, and teach your
child to swim because their life may depend on it someday.
Do not drink or use drugs before entering the ocean, especially
when there is surf. Reaction time is key in an emergency,
so don't do anything to delay yours.
Put down your phone and watch your kids. More importantly,
know where you are located so your family has a common
meeting spot. When you arrive, look at the number or name
of the closest lifeguard tower or look for a major landmark
such as a pier or a jetty. In the event of an emergency, situational
awareness saves precious time, time that victims who are struggling in
the water do not have.
Remember, “Gone with the wind.” If you lose your child, notify
the closest lifeguard immediately because we have a well-orchestrated
plan for locating missing persons on the beach.
Have someone check your rental house, hotel room or car, and
look at the wind direction. Most lost children will follow a path
of least resistance, going with the wind instead of against it. It is a natural
physiological and psychological response to aversive conditions, and we use
it as guards to predict direction of travel. Sea Bright Ocean Rescue found
more than 40 lost children last season, all of them within three minutes of a
parent reporting their worst nightmare.
Know rip current safety. The ocean’s most prominent onshore
hazard will always be rip currents as well as the backwash and
side-shore currents which feed the rips; some people call these
currents undertow. Rip tides, on the other hand, do not occur on
oceanfront beaches. Neither rip current nor rip tide will drag you to
the bottom of the ocean. According to the USLA, rip currents account for more
more than six feet per second which is faster than any Olympic swimmer
can swim, and we use those “rips” to get to victims quickly. Junior lifeguards
learn to play in rip currents rather than fear them.
face the shore and raise your arm with palm wide open. This is
known in the aquatic community as the universal sign of distress.
Every beach lifeguard is trained to respond to those who
use this signal, but make sure children do not abuse it. Escaping
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side once the head of the rip is reached. Swim parallel to the beach or better
yet, if possible, swim diagonally to shore into the breaking waves which will
carry you to the beach. Waves do not break in rip currents.
All children should wear a lifejacket when participating in boating
activities such as kayaking, rowing, paddle boarding, jet
skiing and water skiing. According to the CDC, drowning is the
leading cause of death from a boating accident, and lack of a
especially for child fatalities.
Please do not bring glass, including bottles, to the beach. It is
impossible to get all broken glass out of the sand. A deep laceration
to the foot can keep a guard out of the water for weeks.
Bonus tip: Leave the shovels at home, and do not dig holes on the beach.
Shallow holes injure lifeguards, and large holes kill children.
The beaches of New Jersey’s northern shoreline are home to a vast array
of trained and dedicated lifeguard services, each ready to answer the call
for help whenever it comes. All the guards in Sea Bright wish you and your
family a happy and safe summer season!
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