An absolute tragedy, but I wanted to post it to make people aware of how dangerous the ocean is.

I was an ocean lifeguard for 20 years on a beach patrol south of Atlantic City, NJ.

This sort of tragedy happens a few times every summer. Person goes swimming after lifeguards leave, gets stuck in a riptide, parents and bystanders go out to help, then they get caught in the rip as well and all involved wash up dead on the shoreline 3 days later.

This just happened today and is usually how this sort of thing normally goes down. Absolute preventable tragedy, horrible nonetheless.

Almost every time I've performed CPR on a victim, or had to do a body recovery, it's always an incident that occurs before or after protected hours. I've pulled in my share of dads, siblings, or well meaning bystanders who've drowned trying to save a person caught in a rip tide.

If you do find yourself in this situation where you need to perform an open water rescue:

1) Call the police first (The police won't help rescue because they're usually not trained to, nor do they carry the necessary equipment to perform a water rescue, but most beaches, at least in NJ have a lifeguard emergency response team that gets alerted by a 911 call, and will get EMS on the way).

2) Know your own limitations and realize the danger of the situation. Riptides are no joke, even for well trained swimmers. If you're not a swimmer, don't try and be a hero. You're better off trying to get help.

3) If you decide to rescue, try to grab a boogie board or surf board. Attached it to your body with a strap in case you fall off. Try to read the current and go in at a spot before or after your victim so you don't overshoot or under shoot.

4) If the victim is on a flotation device (like the incident below), they are reasonably safe, despite the fact they're getting pulled out to sea. Monitor the situation from the shoreline.

5) When you get to the victim, that's when things get difficult...it's not easy to help someone struggling, let alone bring them and you back to shore on a boogie board, through a rip tide. If you make it to them, you will be exhausted. Your best bet is to calm them and just float until professionals arrive to get you back to shore.


https://nj1015.com/dad-drowns-...atlantic-city-beach/

A father drowned in the rough waters off Atlantic City on Monday morning trying to save his son, who went for a swim before lifeguards were on duty.

The 11-year-old boy was pulled out by strong current on his boogie board near a jetty off the New Jersey Avenue beach around 9:30 a.m., according to Atlantic City Police spokesman Sgt. Kevin Fair. His father swam out after him but became caught in the strong currents himself, Fair said.

Fair said the boy managed to get back on the shoreline himself.


A former police officer, Jim Glorioso Jr. from Amsterdam, NY, went in after the father when he saw him struggling in the current, Fair said.

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As Glorioso tried to put the father on a boogie board after he had gone under the water, Atlantic City Beach Patrol Chief Steve Downey swam out to helpm along with members of the fire department, Fair said.

First-responders performed CPR on the father who was taken to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, City Division, where he died.

Fair said the father and his song are from Reading, Pennsylvania but would not disclose their identities pending notification of family members.

There was a moderate risk of rip currents along the entire Jersey Shore on Monday morning with winds out of the southwest at 10-18 knots gusting to 25 knots with 1-3 foot waves.

The incident was first reported by Harry Hurley of Townsquare Media sister station WPG Talk Radio 95.5 FM & 1450 AM on his Facebook page.