Letter: Beach is no refuge from heat

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo last week directed the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to offer extended hours during the heat wave. Although this directive from the governor may have had the best of intentions for New Yorkers, it was actually poorly thought out.

Pools and some shaded picnic areas at state park facilities may provide temporary relief from the heat, but many people instead flock to beaches, such as Jones Beach State Park, and lie out in the full sun during the scorching daylight hours. Instead of hydrating by drinking water, many of our park patrons insist on drinking alcohol (much of which is brought in illegally), which further dehydrates their bodies.

On Saturday, park police officers responded to numerous cases at Jones Beach involving patrons suffering from dehydration and heat exhaustion. Our department has been hit by massive budget cuts; it's a recipe for disaster. With so many calls for heat-related injuries, other park police officers and I were tied up and were unable to effectively police the rest of the beach.

During a heat wave, I believe the best advice is to stay home in the air-conditioning. If that isn't possible, there are several cooling centers set up in cities around the state. Spending a day at the beach during a heat wave is anything but "a day at the beach" when you end up suffering from a heat-related illness.

Alex Goodman, Lindenhurst