Mary Beth Bassett
Driving to work along the seawall these last few days, I’m amazed at how calm and clear the water is. I wish it could be like this all the time, but I realize Mother Nature and her friends — wind, currents and tidal flows — play a great part in how the water behaves.
As we come to the kickoff to summer, Memorial Day Weekend, we all need to remember that staying safe in the Gulf should be the priority when heading out to the beach — calm water or not.
May 22-29 is designated as National Beach Safety Week and helps to remind all beachgoers to pay attention and stay safe in the water.
The Galveston Island Beach Patrol recommends a few safety tips to keep in mind when heading out for a swim including avoiding rip currents, staying away from rock jetties and piers, swimming near a lifeguard, swimming with a buddy — not alone, avoiding diving into the water head-first and obeying warning signs and flags.
These tips may seem obvious to veteran beachgoers, but they’re worth mentioning to those not so used to spending time in the Gulf. Last year, the island’s lifeguards performed more than 515,000 preventative actions that include moving swimmers to safer areas. They responded to more than 1,800 medical calls and performed nearly 5,000 enforcement actions.
Earlier this week, the Park Board coordinated a Beach Safety Week media event aimed to spread safety tips to beachgoers. Six major Houston networks came to the beach to interview beach patrol and partner spokespeople, witness rescue demonstrations and learn about hidden hazards in the water. Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish for maximum exposure and accessibility.
For me, a highlight was watching the lifeguards in action. They expertly steered a Jet Ski to a swimmer in trouble and demonstrated how they would pull a conscious and an unconscious swimmer to safety.
Not only are the lifeguards strong and prepared to take action on their own, but they have also built an impressive support network. Instrumental in gathering this support is Chief Peter Davis, a 40-year veteran of the Galveston Island Beach Patrol. Members of the network include the volunteer organization Wave Watchers whose members monitor the beaches and notify lifeguards when they see someone in trouble. The Survivor Support Network helps families of drowning victims with lodging, travel and spiritual needs. The Beach Patrol also works closely with Galveston County emergency response teams to address safety concerns.
“As we gear up for what will no doubt be a busy Memorial Day Weekend and a strong summer tourism season, we want to make sure all who visit Galveston get home safely,” Davis said. “We are ready to do our jobs to keep a watchful eye on Galveston visitors and residents who enjoy our beaches.”
Park board meetings are typically held on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 1:30 p.m. at 601 23rd St.
Mary Beth Bassett is the public relations coordinator for the Galveston Island Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Park Board of Trustees.
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