Tom McLoughlin, Chief Lifeguard at the Sandy Hook unit of the Gateway National Recreation Area, talks about this weekend's deadly riptides and lightning strikes, and what measures beachgoers should take to stay safe.
World's Toughest, They can't handle milkmen in California's car culture. Indeed, the place is, as you put it, bizarre and beautiful and wrong. In SF Bay, the temperature ranges from 46 degrees to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. But it's sharkless, unlike the non-bay ocean, and good for swimming. The East Coast has warmer beaches, but those tame looking waters are incredibly deceptive. It's really tragic that people aren't better informed about how dangerous it can be.
Jul. 28 2008 09:48 PM
Score: 0/0
Robert
from NYC
Oh, and don't stand under a tree. I believe some of the people who got struck over the weekend ran under a tree.
Jul. 28 2008 11:57 AM
Score: 0/0
EL
from QUEENS
Brian these drownings occured AFTER the lifeguards went off duty
Jul. 28 2008 11:55 AM
Score: 0/0
World's Toughest Milkman
from the_C_train
It doesn't have to be bubbles most of the time on the East coast it is identified by sandy or murky colored water. There should be signs at the beach with these basics.
Jul. 28 2008 11:55 AM
Score: 0/0
Mirna Valerio
from Pottersville, NJ
What happened to common sense? Doesn't any watch or listen to the news anymore? There were many reports in which the dangers of being in certain waters were reiterated over and over again. I personally would NOT take my family to the beach when there is riptide danger or high winds. ALSO, many New Yorkers don't know how to swim; that's also a huge problem, so asking people to float or swim parallel to the shore will NOT help if they don't have basic swimming skills.
Jul. 28 2008 11:54 AM
Score: 0/0
World's Toughest Milkman
from the_C_train
Maybe Pelosi can tell you that one! =)
Well I knew that but I still had to move there to reaffirm that, it's so bizarre and beautiful and wrong.
Jul. 28 2008 11:53 AM
Score: 0/0
Lance
from Manhattan
Loss of life at the beach is always a tragedy. And I don't mean to imply here that there is any human fault in these recent drownings.
However, I have noticed on recent visits to the beach that many swimmers ignore the warning flags (red means don't swim) and lifeguards' warnings to move to safer areas. Also, the lifeguards should be more proactive. I rarely see them get off their butts up on their chairs to get a message out to the swimmers who may be in less-safe areas.
Jul. 28 2008 11:53 AM
Score: 0/0
Robert
from NYC
1 yes water and open areas attract lightning. Don't they teach that anymore?
Jul. 28 2008 11:51 AM
Score: 0/0
O
from Forest Hills
How am I violating someone's civil rights?:)
I think CA might be safer but I am not moving anytime soon.
I love NY.
Jul. 28 2008 11:39 AM
Score: 0/0
World's Toughest Milkman
from the_C_train
Well "O" you might be violating someones civil rights and be inviting a lawsuit from the aclu.
Sounds like there is a lack of qualified lifeguards at a lot of these beaches, especially Rockaway where there are a lot of people that do not know how to swim and are generally uneducated about the ocean and it's dangers, a deadly combination which plays out every single summer year after year. In CA lifeguarding is a serious career that is a part of the fire department, in Rockaway, well you can hear the ads on the radio looking for candidates. Which place would you be safer?
Jul. 28 2008 11:32 AM
Score: 0/0
O
from Forest Hills
When I used to go to the beach, if it started to rain, or even a hint of thunder, we were asked to leave the beach and it was closed even for rain as a safety precaution.
Jul. 28 2008 10:49 AM
Score: 0/0
M
from NJ
Are the chances of getting hit by lightning higher at the beach?
Do life guards have any obligation to clear the beach when there is a storm?
Jul. 28 2008 10:36 AM
Score: 0/0
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Comments [12]
World's Toughest,
They can't handle milkmen in California's car culture.
Indeed, the place is, as you put it, bizarre and beautiful and wrong.
In SF Bay, the temperature ranges from 46 degrees to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. But it's sharkless, unlike the non-bay ocean, and good for swimming.
The East Coast has warmer beaches, but those tame looking waters are incredibly deceptive. It's really tragic that people aren't better informed about how dangerous it can be.
Oh, and don't stand under a tree. I believe some of the people who got struck over the weekend ran under a tree.
Brian
these drownings occured AFTER the lifeguards went off duty
It doesn't have to be bubbles most of the time on the East coast it is identified by sandy or murky colored water. There should be signs at the beach with these basics.
What happened to common sense? Doesn't any watch or listen to the news anymore? There were many reports in which the dangers of being in certain waters were reiterated over and over again. I personally would NOT take my family to the beach when there is riptide danger or high winds. ALSO, many New Yorkers don't know how to swim; that's also a huge problem, so asking people to float or swim parallel to the shore will NOT help if they don't have basic swimming skills.
Maybe Pelosi can tell you that one! =)
Well I knew that but I still had to move there to reaffirm that, it's so bizarre and beautiful and wrong.
Loss of life at the beach is always a tragedy. And I don't mean to imply here that there is any human fault in these recent drownings.
However, I have noticed on recent visits to the beach that many swimmers ignore the warning flags (red means don't swim) and lifeguards' warnings to move to safer areas.
Also, the lifeguards should be more proactive. I rarely see them get off their butts up on their chairs to get a message out to the swimmers who may be in less-safe areas.
1 yes water and open areas attract lightning. Don't they teach that anymore?
How am I violating someone's civil rights?:)
I think CA might be safer but I am not moving anytime soon.
I love NY.
Well "O" you might be violating someones civil rights and be inviting a lawsuit from the aclu.
Sounds like there is a lack of qualified lifeguards at a lot of these beaches, especially Rockaway where there are a lot of people that do not know how to swim and are generally uneducated about the ocean and it's dangers, a deadly combination which plays out every single summer year after year. In CA lifeguarding is a serious career that is a part of the fire department, in Rockaway, well you can hear the ads on the radio looking for candidates. Which place would you be safer?
When I used to go to the beach, if it started to rain, or even a hint of thunder, we were asked to leave the beach and it was closed even for rain as a safety precaution.
Are the chances of getting hit by lightning higher at the beach?
Do life guards have any obligation to clear the beach when there is a storm?
Leave a Comment
Register for your own account so you can vote on comments, save your favorites, and more. Learn more.
Please stay on topic, be civil, and be brief.
Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments. Names are displayed with all comments. We reserve the right to edit any comments posted on this site. Please read the Comment Guidelines before posting. By leaving a comment, you agree to New York Public Radio's Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use.