For millions, summer on Long Island means time spent in the sun, the sand and the sea. Iconic Jones Beach State Park drew 9.5 million visitors to its expansive sandy shores in 2024, followed by Robert Moses, boasting 3.9 million visitors. After visitors have slathered on the sunscreen, secured their valuables and anchored their umbrellas, what are they thinking about in terms of beach safety?

While sharks might immediately come to mind, lifeguards and park staff use equipment, constant communication, and a trained eye to watch for marine life activity and keep beachgoers safe. Knowing that water hazards like rip currents, however, pose more significant risks to swimmers than sharks, our staff set out to spread the word on how to manage these lesser-known acts of nature.

What are Rip Currents?

Rip currents are narrow channels of fast-moving water that pull swimmers away from the shore. They can be found at any beach with breaking waves and are a much greater and more common threat to beachgoers than marine life. According to New York Sea Grant, rip currents move at speeds of up to eight feet per second — faster than an Olympic swimmer! This dangerous phenomenon accounts for more than 80 percent of lifeguard beach rescues and causes an estimated 100 deaths per year in the U.S.

Safety Through Education

So how do we keep beachgoers safe? Education is key. Knowing how to recognize rip currents and what to do if caught in one could make all the difference for swimmers. In July 2024, the Long Island Region of New York State Parks launched its Water Safety Education Program in conjunction with the Shark Shack at Robert Moses Field 5 for seven dates in the summer. This single-park pilot program was run by the Long Island Regional Environmental Education team and supplemented with volunteer lifeguards visiting the table.

This year, the program has expanded its educational outreach events to several other parks in the region and runs from May through September, with the intention of further developing and expanding its reach in the future. Environmental Educators pair up with Park Rangers to bring awareness and offer education to beachgoers around water safety. The highlight, though, is the virtual reality element used to educate about rip currents.

Practicing with Virtual Reality

Long Island State Parks purchased two virtual reality headsets to improve public awareness and understanding of the dangers of rip currents. Guests can use these headsets at the Water Safety Education outreach events on eight different dates in six different waterfront State Parks throughout the summer season. The technology is bilingual, with instructions available in both English and Spanish.

The headsets employ technology created by Hofstra University Professor Dr. Jase Bernhardt and developer Frank Martin, funded in part by New York Sea Grant. It simulates being caught in a rip current and teaches how swimmers can stay calm, safely navigate, and call for help. Swimmers are encouraged to float or tread water to conserve energy. They should wave to shore and yell for help and, if possible, swim parallel to the shore until free from the pull of the rip current. Once free, they should then swim at an angle towards the shore, away from the current.

Additionally, the education tables have water safety themed coloring pages with crayons for children and “Water Safety at Home” handouts. The Water Safety Education program also partnered with Bobby Hazen of Stop Drowning Now and New York Sea Grant to produce bilingual water safety handouts for visitors at the public outreach events.

They remind beachgoers of the following safety tips:

• Always swim near a lifeguard.
• Only swim between the green flags.
• Never swim alone.
• Speak to on-duty lifeguards about rip currents and other expected water hazards.

The remaining outreach events scheduled for this summer are:

• July 25, 4 to 8 p.m., Robert Moses State Park: Field 5, Babylon
• August 9, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Heckscher State Park, East Islip
• August 16, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Wildwood State Park: Beachfront, Wading River
• August 23, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sunken Meadow State Park: Field 1 Boardwalk
• September 6, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Captree State Park: Dockside Festival, Bay Shore

As Governor Hochul said, “Our Long Island State Park beaches are cherished by New Yorkers and visitors alike — perfect places to get offline, get outside and enjoy the outdoors.” With these added educational outreach events around water safety and rip current awareness, we hope every beachgoer gets to enjoy the sun, the sand and the sea in safety this summer!

— Written by Tara Coppola, Assistant to the Deputy Regional Director, Long Island Region, former Hofstra University Swim Center Director and Nassau County Certified Lifeguard. Photos by OPRHP staff.