At Some Federal Beaches, Surf’s Up but the Lifeguard Chair’s Empty

CHINCOTAGE, VIRGINIE – When Azania Lane -Majestic arrived at the beach with her family, her initial excitement has made room for concerns. No rescuer could be seen despite the heavy and fighter surfing.

So she was holding the 8 -year -old daughter’s hand each time they went into the water. And, just in case, she went online and looked up how to spot and escape a riptide.

“The presence of rescuers offers an additional level of security,” said Lane-Majestic, by Pittsburgh. “Rescuers are an important additional game.”

Like the dozens of vacationers descend to the national parks for summer pleasure and, of course, the weekend of July fourth, certain beaches of the National Park Service reduce rescue hours. Some still try the staff. And at least certain beaches in popular federal parks are open to swimming without rescuers at all.

The reason: the Trump administration has reduced jobs, offered employees buyouts and has implemented a job freeze at Park Service. States and premises legislators, as well as certain defense groups, claim that actions have created a risky situation by leaving certain federal parks with a shortage of rescuers.

The National Park Service refused to answer specific questions about this situation because it is considered a personnel problem.

Less than half of the 7,700 seasonal positions in the federal park such as rescuers had been filled at the end of May, said Bill Wade, executive director of the Association of National Park Rangers, a membership group that sought to reject the employees.

Some of the country’s most popular beaches are managed by the National Park Service, which saw around 1,000 employees dismissed in February by the Government Ministry, or Doge, which was created by decree and supervised by billionaire Elon Musk until May.

It is estimated that 2,500 workers in the permanent park service – about 13% of the total workforce – have also accepted buyouts or early retirement offered by the Trump administration in its efforts to reduce the federal government.

An administration freezing on seasonal hiring has also delayed recruitment for rescuing stations, Wade said.

The Park Service does not provide information on the impact that employment compression has on rescue services in national parks because the staff of the park was invited not to discuss the issue, according to a federal legislator, the association and the local elected officials.

“They were ordered not to give any information to anyone because they call it linked to the staff,” said Wade de la Park Ranger Association. “We can assume in some cases because there are many national parks with water, that there will be a shortage in certain regions.”

Great Kills Park Beach on Staten Island in New York will have rescuers only on Saturdays and Sundays, although the rescuers contained the beach from Thursday to Sunday from previous years, according to information currently on the National Park Service website and the 2024 rescue hours published by the National Park planner, a resource not opposed on more than 160 National Park Service sites.

And the security of swimmers from the National Recreational Gateway Area Sandy Hook, a 6 -thousand long beach peninsula in New Jersey, could be at risk, said representative Frank Pallone (DN.J.). He asked the Trump administration to answer questions by June 30 on the reasons why the National Park Service “did not succeed in hiring the necessary rescuers” and other essential staff, according to a letter of June 9 to the interior secretary Doug Burgum.

“This unprecedented situation extends to the staff units of the National Park Service (NPS), which you have prohibited to communicate with the offices of the Congress without the express authorization of the ITO seat-approval that never happens,” he wrote. “I am seriously concerned about the ramifications of Trump administration policies on the future of Sandy Hook as a safe place.”

The Ministry of the Interior refused to comment on the letter, but said that the shortages of rescuers are a national concern, even outside of public lands.

“At the National Park Service, we expect our lifeguard endowment to happen over the summer,” said interior spokesperson J. Elizabeth Peace. “We appreciate the understanding and cooperation of the public when we work to ensure a sure and pleasant experience for everyone.”

It is important for the public to learn to recognize the dangers such as riptides, she said, and they must understand that swimming in the ocean is different from swimming in a lake or swimming pool. People should be alerts for strong ocean currents, powerful waves and underwater obstacles, and they should not turn their backs on the ocean because they risk being overturned by larger and unexpected waves.

Pallona said that the lack of disclosure on the status of granting the Endowment of the Rescuers prevents the Congress of Surveillance from knowing if Sandy Hook can be visited in complete safety.

“This is a problem of life or death,” said Pallone in an interview. “When there are no rescuers, people swim anyway. There are bad currents. There is a lack of transparency. The purpose of the letter is to wonder what’s going on.”

Each year, around 4,000 people drown in the United States, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is the second cause of involuntary death of injuries for children aged 5 to 14.

About 50% to 75% of drownings occur in free water such as oceans, lakes, rivers and ponds. Certain estimates indicate that the risk of drowning on a beach protected by rescuers can be less than 1 in 18 million, according to the CDC.

The impact of administration actions on national parks rescuers was a concern of the United Lifeles Waving Association, a non -profit organization for beach rescuers and free water rescuers, said B. Chris Brewster, president of the group’s national certification committee.

“The lack of rescuers will undoubtedly lead to death and injuries that are otherwise prevented,” he said in an email.

The park service cuts are involved in the middle of a global national shortage in rescuers who already increase the risk of swimming on beaches and swimming pools. According to the American Lifeguard Association, around a third of the country’s 309,000 public swimming pools have remained closed or opened sporadically due to the shortage.

The shortage hits the popular beach of the city of Chincoteague when the high season comes into play.

The southern entrance of Assatague to Virginia is part of a national fauna refuge, and its northern entrance to Maryland. The Park Service manages most of the district of Maryland and the recreational beach of the Chincoteague refuge. There were recently no rescuers in service in one or the other of the states on the recreational beaches of the Seashore National Assatague Island.

Rescuers were responsible for dozens of rescues last year. This year, June 10, in the middle of The Soppy Surf, a 4 -year -old child was rescued by a spectator, according to the mayor of Chincoteague and publications on the Facebook page of a city group.

“This little boy’s family would plan his funeral right now and only if they could recover the body,” said a resident. “This lifeguard problem is very real … very serious.”

The mayor of CHARCOTEAGUE, Denise Bowden, said that she had received variable reasons for the lack of rescuers, especially no money for hiring and the federal budget frost. She is concerned that local emergency medical services will be extended thin by responding to calls concerning swimmers who are normally managed by rescuers.

“It’s a political game, and they play with people’s lives. I can’t climb,” said Bowden.

The shortages of rescuers could also put an economic blow in the region if visitors, especially families with young children, stay away. On the way to the beach on the side of Virginie, a flashing panel recently warned against any rescuer, just like the panels erected in the sand. Several visitors said they were not aware of the situation until their arrival.

Lizzie Dattilio, from Hagerstown, Maryland, came to the region for years and values ​​rescuers who helped protect her four children, aged 10, 7, 5 and 3, she said. It was surprised that large white stands where rescuers generally allow themselves.

“We did not know that there were no rescuers,” she said, looking at her children running towards surfing. “It’s crazy.”