Six people swimming after hours off Long Beach rescued
Long Beach lifeguards and firefighters rescued several young people who authorities said were swimming after lifeguards went off duty Wednesday evening. Credit: James Staubitser
Long Beach lifeguards and firefighters rescued six people swimming in the ocean Wednesday night after lifeguards were off duty.
Lifeguards were called to two separate reports of swimmers in distress shortly after 7:30 p.m., Long Beach lifeguard chief Paul Gillespie said.
The lifeguard’s emergency response team, which includes more than a dozen lifeguards standing by after lifeguards leave their posts at 6 p.m., were first called to two swimmers struggling in the ocean near National Boulevard.
Around the same time, lifeguards were notified of four swimmers who needed help swimming in the ocean near Riverside Boulevard. Lifeguards were assisted by two former lifeguards surfing in the area to pull four teenagers out of the water, Gillespie said.
In total, lifeguards rescued the six people between the ages of 12 to 16, Gillespie said.
Long Beach lifeguards and firefighters rescued several teenagers who authorities said were swimming after lifeguards went off duty Wednesday evening.
“Thank God when they went to pull them out of there we had two former lifeguards out there,” he said. “It’s usually people coming from out of town who don’t know how to swim.”
The swimmers were evaluated on the beach by Long Beach firefighters and paramedics and taken by ambulance Mount Sinai South Nassau to be evaluated. No injuries were reported.
The city has battled swimmers going into the water after hours for the past several years. Swimmers were waiting to go onto the beach after the city stopped charging access to the beach and the city has been working to reduce swimmers on the beach after lifeguards clear the water.
Gillespie said late rescues have been less common this year, but riptides have been stronger off the beach.
“The problem is when they come after 6 p.m. lifeguards are not on duty,” Gillespie said. “No one should ever go in the water after hours, especially if they don’t know how to swim. We want everybody who comes to the beach to go home from the beach.”
John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.
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