East Hampton lifeguards performed a record number of rescues, 226 total, during the 2024 season at town beaches, according to the town’s chief lifeguard, John Ryan Jr. Of that number, 202 rescues occurred at protected beaches, while 24 took place at unprotected beaches. Both of those numbers doubled from last year’s totals.
Mr. Ryan shared the numbers in a presentation to the East Hampton Town Board on Tuesday.
Town Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez asked if there were any hypotheses as to why rescues doubled this year, to which Mr. Ryan said that 99 percent of rescues are rip-current-related. Atlantic Avenue in Amagansett, the town’s most popular beach this year, had a persistent rip current for much of the season, he added.
“We have to make sure our beaches are safe,” he said. As part of that effort, QR codes were added this year to beach signs to direct beach patrons to water safety information that they might not otherwise know to access.
As rescues increased, so too did usage of the beaches. The total number of people accessing them increased by 22,000, rising to 138,626, he said. Lifeguards were at the beaches for 91 operational days between May 25 and Sept. 15.
“We are a benchmark to other agencies,” Mr. Ryan later said of the local lifeguard network, citing other organizations that have modeled their efforts after those in East Hampton.
In 2024, lifeguards have responded to 24 calls that involved an injury. While no fatalities were recorded, 11 rescues required emergency medical services and seven people were hospitalized because of their injuries.
All vehicles and beaches were outfitted with Narcan kits, which treat opioid overdoses, and three automatic external defibrillators were purchased through a donation. The kits will be put toward an effort to provide all five lifeguard chief vehicles with cardiac response capabilities.
“There is nothing more pleasing to a lifeguard when they’re dealing with an emergency on the beach than to hear those sirens,” Mr. Ryan said of emergency response efforts from police and ambulances.
The surf was moderate in the 2024 season: Lifeguards recorded 62 green flag days, 19 yellow flag days, and 11 red flag days. There were no days when the red no-swimming flags had to be used.
For most of the season, lifeguard recruitment was sufficient to meet the need. As for the future, junior lifeguard enrollments matched the numbers in 2023. The Cadet Program, though, which oversees those ages 15 and 16, saw its numbers double from 2024. In addition, the town’s free swimming lessons at bay beaches drew in 130 children throughout the season.
Aside from the lifeguards, Marine Patrol responded to 500 calls for service on the beaches. Officers issued over 600 citations for town code violations regarding beaches, 46 percent of which pertained to violations of beach driving rules. Other common offenses included noncompliant beach fires (24 percent), dogs on the beach (8 percent), and camping (6 percent).
John Rooney, head of the East Hampton Town Recreation Department, offered insights from the perspective of his department.
A “tremendous amount” of litter was removed from the beaches, he said, totaling 121,000 pounds. The Buildings and Grounds Department also installed new beach mats at six locations, which are intended to comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act.
Councilman David Lys, who is part of the Parks and Recreation advisory group, looked to the future, walking through the recommendations for the 2025 season.
Wound packing and tourniquet sets were acquired this season. However, in 2025, they will be placed in all first-aid kits for lifeguards. As part of that effort, lifeguards will receive annual first-aid training to use the equipment properly.
In addition, he recommended that legislation regarding dogs be discussed further and updated for the 2025 season. Dog bags often wash up during high tide, according to Mr. Ryan’s presentation, and lifeguard posts are often subject to dog urination.
As the total numbers of beach patrons increased, Councilman Lys suggested future discussion of opening another lifeguarded public beach, as parking has proven insufficient to accommodate the number of people.
A chart showed the approximate number of patrons per beach. Atlantic Avenue held the top spot with 59,923 — 43.2 percent — of beachgoers. The beach has held the top spot since 2020, when it passed Indian Wells Beach in Amagansett and the beach at the east end of downtown Montauk at South Edison Street.
After Atlantic Avenue came the eastern downtown Montauk beach with 28,920 — 20.8 percent — and Kirk Park Beach in Montauk with 17,142 — 12.3 percent. Despite that distribution, Ditch Plain Beach in Montauk saw the most rescues, recording 64 total.
Looking at these numbers, “you’re managing a city,” Councilwoman Cate Rogers said to the presenters, adding that “money spent on helping humans and protecting humans is invaluable.”
As for that money, Supervisor Burke-Gonzalez said that the town spends $1.1 million annually on the salaries of lifeguards. “We’re forever grateful for all you do to keep our beaches safe,” she said.
