More Beach Protection Needed

Dear Editor:

As I write this on Friday, July 28, after 8 p.m., there are two water submersions going on – one at Riis and one at Beach 98th Street, both after lifeguards have left and the ocean is “closed” to swimmers. It seems that the powers-that-be, the Parks Department brass, don’t realize that it is impossible to keep everyone out of the water on hot days. Having PEP people on beach buggies blowing people out of the water after 6 p.m. obviously doesn’t work. When I was a beach lifeguard in the early 1970s, a job back then that was the dream of every Rockaway kid, we worked split shifts. Most lifeguards in each shack worked 10-6, but a number worked 11-7, and a few 1-9. Plus, on hot days we were kept on duty working overtime. The beaches were guarded from 10 a.m. to sunset, so drownings were very rare. I fail to understand why the Parks Department doesn’t go back to this type of beach coverage. Most of the drownings after 6 p.m. involve young people, and even one is unacceptable. Hey Mayor Adams, DO SOMETHING!

Peter Galvin