The uptick of marine sightings along the New York coast this summer has caused a stir for beachgoers, but state lifeguards want visitors to know there is nothing to fear as new technology is changing the game.
Cary Epstein is the supervising lifeguard at Jones Beach State Park, overseeing the beach now for 26 years. This year is the first time he has ever thought twice about entering the water but understands that shark encounters are not a deterrence.
"We are water men and water women. This is what we do. This is what we love. It's not going to stop us from being in the water. It's not stopping us from doing our job," said Epstein during an interview with NBC New York right before a morning beach inspection.
The first New York City shark bite in decades occurred to a 65-year-old woman on Rockaway Beach earlier this month. This season alone had at least six reported shark encounters along the N.Y. shoreline, which tracks for this year to possibly surpass last year's eight incidents.
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The NYPD will monitor the city shores seven days a week with drones at least until the end of the summer.
Jones Beach State Park on Long Island has been utilizing drones for the past three years, flying aerial surveillance at least three times a day to, at times, running every hour. The staff uses the "eye in the sky" to spot other marine life like schools of bait fish, dolphins and whales, as well as rip currents and swimmers in distress.
These drones have a special speaker similar to a megaphone attached, so lifeguards can contact individuals directly in the water.
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In addition to lifeguard stands, boats and drones, a new tool has been introduced this summer that gives another point of view over the sea -- the wave runner.
"It's what we call in surf lifesaving or lifeguarding our rescue watercraft...And what's really nice is the vantage point. You could be safely on one of these rescue watercraft in the water and have a vantage point that's a little bit different from all the others," noted Epstein.
Jones Beach State Park currently has 250 lifeguards on staff and over 500 state lifeguards across Long Island alone, according to Epstein, who says the reality of more shark sightings is the "new normal" and not just for a projected "five-year span."
That means more lifeguards will become certified drone pilots under the Federal Aviation Administration. Epstein states that the parks are now analyzing potentially new protocols and standard operating procedures from agencies across the country to figure out the safest way for lifeguard staff to enter the water in critical situations.
Based on the International Shark Attack File (ISAF) from 2017 to 2021, there is an average of 70 unprovoked shark bites annually, incidents in which there is no human prodding of the shark.
Sharks that live off the coasts of New York are species basking, blue, sand tiger, smooth dogfish, shortfin mako and white sharks. To marine experts, these species in the water are a good sign that conservation efforts are working as sharks follow and feed off large schools of bunker or bait fish.
While the chances of a shark attack are slim, mitigation efforts include avoiding swimming at dawn or dusk, stay away from wearing shiny jewelry in the ocean, and refrain from swimming alone.
