Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Beach Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Belmar proclaims Beach Safety Week, honors lifesaving by resident Thomas Walsh; lifeguards give safety briefing
Summary
Belmar’s mayor and council proclaimed National Beach Safety Week, presented a heroism proclamation to Thomas Walsh for rescuing a child from a rip current, and received a detailed safety briefing from Chief Lifeguard Harry Carson that included last season’s rescue and prevention statistics.
Belmar’s mayor and borough council on May 18 proclaimed National Beach Safety Week and used the meeting to recognize local lifesaving and shore‑safety work.
Mayor von Fusco read proclamations designating Emergency Medical Services Week and National Beach Safety Week and then introduced a proclamation honoring Thomas Walsh for a rescue at Belmar Beach on Aug. 15, 2025. The proclamation says Walsh entered the ocean to reach a 12‑year‑old caught in a powerful rip current near the jetty and brought the girl to safety; the council extended its gratitude and called for renewed public education about ocean hazards.
Chief Lifeguard Harry Carson, introduced by the mayor, described the Belmar Beach Patrol’s training regimen and interagency drills and urged public attention to prevention. Carson told the council the patrol conducted 692 documented rescues last season, reunited 106 lost children with their guardians, administered first aid to about 156 patrons and recorded 22,483 preventative actions. "We're the first responders on the beach; our focus is prevention," Carson said, stressing rip‑current recognition, swimming between the flags and signaling for help.
A junior lifeguard, Ingrid, described her first season in Belmar and said the junior‑guard program prepares young participants for real‑world rescues; she said she recorded around 40 saves last summer and praised the program’s coaches. Both Carson and Ingrid encouraged schools to include water‑safety instruction and urged residents to enroll children in swim lessons and the junior guard program.
The council closed the presentation by thanking lifeguard staff and volunteers and urging residents and visitors to heed posted flags and lifeguard directions. The proclamation for Walsh and the lifeguard presentation were intended to highlight both a concrete rescue and daily prevention work that officials said protects beachgoers.
