Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
East Hampton details 2026 beach openings, lifeguard staffing, drones and ADA access
Summary
Officials outlined the beach opening schedule (weekend openings followed by full-season mid‑June), lifeguard staffing and training, use of drones for rescues, installation of ADA beach mats, ParkMobile parking zones, comfort-station operations and dune nourishment progress.
Town officials told the board the town is prepared for the coming beach season, with weekend openings beginning Memorial Day weekend, expanded openings mid‑June and full staffing by mid‑June.
Openings and staffing John Rooney, Superintendent of Parks and Recreation, and Tim Treadwell, chief harbormaster, said four ocean beaches and one bay beach (Indian Wells, Atlantic Avenue, South Edison, Ditch Plains, and Big Alberts) would open for lifeguarded weekends, with additional sites scheduled to open later in June. The town reports sufficient lifeguard staffing and a training program for new and returning guards.
Safety and equipment The town plans to use drone technology for life‑saving needs and for spotting dangerous marine life, continue ATV and personal watercraft rescues, maintain emergency access travel lanes and deploy wound‑packing and tourniquet kits at lifeguard stands. New and replaced rescue vehicles and personal watercraft were highlighted, and Marine 1 (a fast response boat) was cited as critical in recent regional searches.
Access and services ParkMobile daily parking is active at Atlantic Avenue Beach, Kirk Park, South Edison and South Elmwood (with four‑hour and eight‑hour options on calibrated beaches). ADA beach mats are being installed, comfort stations will be closed overnight and reopened in the morning for cleaning and vandalism prevention, and the town is continuing shore/dune nourishment projects (Ditch Plains nourishment expected to be complete soon).
Why it matters: East Hampton’s beaches are both a resident amenity and regional attraction. Officials emphasized interagency coordination (marine patrol, volunteer ocean rescue, trustees, Coast Guard) and public outreach on beach safety.
