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Council approves two jet skis for lifeguards after public debate on model, collars and evening coverage
Summary
Council approved purchase of two replacement jet skis and trailers for beach patrol; discussion centered on model selection, durability for ocean conditions, inflatable collars for stability, and whether additional evening lifeguard coverage or a third ski is warranted.
The council approved purchasing two jet skis and trailers to support beach-patrol rescue operations, a capital purchase staff said will replace units more than two decades old.
Beach patrol and staff presented three bids; the lowest responsible bidder was Long Island Kawasaki at about $35,518 for two skis and two trailers. Lifeguard leadership and alumni representatives urged caution on model choice and recommended inflatable rescue collars to improve stability during rescues and prevent tipping. "That collar helped tremendously" in post-storm rescues, an alumni representative said, urging the council to include collars or accept donated collars for immediate equipping.
Council members and members of the public questioned whether the advertised "performance" language implied racing models that might be less durable than lower-end units; staff and the lifeguard chief said the selected models are ocean-capable and that collars can be included. A public safety advocate suggested adding a third jet ski to improve coverage during high-demand evening periods; staff said the lifeguard emergency-response group already provides evening coverage with five lifeguards plus a senior guard and an EMT.
Funding was confirmed as capital budgeted in the lifeguards machinery-and-equipment line. The purchase was approved as part of the evening’s consent items; staff said they will verify model specifications, confirm the inclusion of collars and finalize delivery and training schedules.
