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Junior lifeguards and a new adult 'Beach Guardian' pilot urge swim safety, offer town QR conditions page
Summary
Junior lifeguard cadets gave practical beach‑safety advice at the July 21 work session and town lifeguards described a pilot adult 'Beach Guardian' program and a redesigned website QR code that shows daily beach conditions and a rescue heat map.
At the town board’s July 21 work session, junior lifeguard cadets presented simple safety steps for residents and visitors, and Amagansett’s chief lifeguard described a newly piloted adult water‑safety program aimed at increasing comfort and situational awareness on town beaches.
"Learn how to swim," Merit Bistri, a junior lifeguard cadet, told the board, urging residents to use the town’s free swim lessons and to "read the ocean, bay, or pool for dangerous conditions" and to call 911 in an emergency. Joe Martins, another cadet, advised never to swim alone and reviewed flag color meanings. Molly Grande explained how to escape a rip current: "stay calm and swim across the current parallel to the shore," she said, and warned that deeply dug sand holes can be dangerous.
Lifeguard captain Peter Stacombe introduced the cadets and the town’s efforts to make beach‑condition information more accessible, including a QR code posted at each beach that links to a page showing flag colors, tide times, water temperature, wind direction and a heat map that tracks rescues; the page will note when a beach changes from green to yellow or red based on recent rescues.
Amagansett’s chief lifeguard described the Beach Guardian adult pilot — an adult training program focused on ocean reading and safe nearshore practices. He said early pilots drew dozens of participants across hamlets (about 53 signed up at one session) and emphasized that the program teaches observation, flotation‑device use and confidence rather than encouraging untrained people to attempt rescues.
Board members thanked the cadets for their tips and encouraged the public to use lifeguarded beaches and the QR conditions page. The board also discussed linking the redesigned conditions page prominently on the town’s homepage.
Next steps: the town will publish the QR‑linked conditions page and continue the Beach Guardian pilot; board members were invited to observe or participate.
