Lifeguards back at 4 state park beaches on LI, official says

Beginning Thursday lifeguards will resume their duties at four Long Island state park beaches in anticipation of a brief return of warm and sunny weather over the next four days.

George Gorman, state parks deputy regional director for Long Island, said the parks lifeguards’ jobs ended last weekend because fall begins Friday. But he said the lifeguards will be brought back to Field 6 and the Central Mall at Jones Beach State Park in Wantagh, Fields 2 and 5 at Robert Moses State Park in Babylon, Hither Hills State Park in Montauk and Sunken Meadow State Park in Kings Park to accommodate beachgoers.

According to the National Weather Service at Upton, from Thursday through Sunday highs for much of the Island are expected to be in the 70s to the lower 80s. There is a high rip current risk at for southern Nassau and southern Suffolk through Friday evening, the service said.

“We’re bringing back lifeguards on duty beginning today [Thursday] — the weather forecast is very nice so with the temperatures and with the Jewish holidays and most of the schools being off we’re accommodating anyone who would like to go swimming,” Gorman said. He noted the water temperature will be in the low 70s.

Gorman said the lifeguards will be on duty from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“Last Sunday would have normally been their last day,” Gorman said. He said that bringing them back after the swimming season has ended is “rare,” but it’s been done before at state parks.

Gorman said he expects hundreds, if not thousands, to head back to Long Island’s beaches during the next few days.

“It’s rare, but when the weather is as nice as the forecast, we have to react to that,” Gorman said of the lifeguards’ return.