Ocean Shores officials outline all‑hands July 4 beach safety plan

Ocean Shores fire officials described an "all hands on deck" public‑safety plan for the July 4 holiday, warning of large crowds, reduced staffing and steps to prevent dune and wildland fires, Chief Ritter said during a public safety meeting.

The city will stage brush rigs, duty crews and other resources on July 2–4 and deploy additional personnel on the holiday itself. "On July 2, we have 5 duty crew plus 2 brush rigs that will be staffed by 2 personnel a piece," Chief Ritter said, adding that July 3 will use the same staffing pattern and that on July 4 the department will have "7 station personnel for 24 hours, and then everybody else will be out on the beach." He cautioned that outside firefighting resources are limited because of active wildland fires elsewhere and that the city is "short staffed."

Why this matters: large July 4 beach crowds, widespread alcohol use and people entering the dunes increase the risk of dangerous dune and brush fires. Officials said the plan emphasizes prevention (education and patrols), rapid response where needed, and public information to reduce both safety and environmental harm.

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