Crime & Safety

Lifeguards Busy Over Hot Weekend

More than 180,000 people cooled off in Newport Beach over the weekend, keeping lifeguards on their toes with more than 350 rescues.

Humid and hot weather brought crowds to Newport Beach over the weekend and kept lifeguards busy with rescues, officials reported today.

The combination of excellent surf and warm weather brought about 188,000 people to the beach on Saturday and Sunday, according to Jennifer Schulz of the Newport Beach Fire Department.

"Newport ocean temperatures hit a very warm 71 degrees with surf 4-6 feet on many beaches," Schulz said. "The warm weather and excellent surf enticed bodysurfers into the large waves and lifeguards were busy both days with many rescues."

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During that time, lifeguards made 359 rescues over the weekend, averaging just over six rescues per guard per day. Schulz said lifeguards conducted 7,865 preventive actions, treated 234 first aids and reunited 52 lost children with their parents.

Schulz says beachgoers should follow the following beach safety tips:

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  • Swim near a lifeguard.  If none around, call 9-1-1 for assistance.
  • Learn to swim.
  • Never swim alone.
  • Don't fight the current.
  • Never swim while intoxicated.
  • Leash your surfboard or bodyboard.
  • Don't float where you can’t swim.
  • Always wear lifejackets when boating.
  • Protect your neck from spinal injuries.
  • Don't dive headfirst into any unknown water.
  • Don't dive toward the bottom into oncoming waves. 
  • Don't stand with your back to the waves. 
  • Don't jump or dive from a cliff, pier, jetty or bridge. 
  • Avoid bodysurfing, bodyboarding or surfing straight "over the falls." Ride the shoulder. 
  • In a wipeout land as flat as possible with your hands out in front of you.

Get more safety tips at www.newportbeachca.gov/beachsafety.


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