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Hammond beaches closed; marina director cites lack of lifeguards and limited on‑site enforcement
Summary
The Hammond marina director told residents beaches are closed because lifeguards are not on staff. Officials said the absence of lifeguards reduces immediate local enforcement and that boaters and jet skis use shared inshore areas.
A resident described a recent incident on Hammond’s shoreline in which a personal watercraft came close to swimmers and used offensive language; Jeff Smits, director of the Hammond Marina and Port Authority, said the beaches are currently closed because crews have no lifeguards on duty.
Smits said there are two managed beach areas in Hammond — one adjacent to the marina and West Beach farther down near a data center — and an in‑between area used by boaters. "If a jet ski came in within the last week or so, the beaches are actually closed because the lifeguards ... we don't have any lifeguards anymore. So there's no swimming," Smits said. He added that, while boaters generally monitor each other, the absence of lifeguards means the city cannot rely on immediate on‑site personnel with radios to summon security or emergency response.
A resident who identified herself as a longtime Hammond native described staying close to shore to avoid boats and said she had called federal authorities without resolution. Smits said that when lifeguards are on duty they have radios tied to marina security and can respond quickly to reports; without lifeguards the city relies on public reporting to security and police.
City officials did not announce a timeline for restoring lifeguard staffing or reopening beaches during the meeting. Marina staff encouraged people who witness unsafe boating near shore to report incidents to marina security or police so staff can respond.
