Beach Patrol urges visitors to stay vigilant as guard numbers dwindle

OCEAN CITY, Md. – Summer is officially winding down and that means you will be seeing fewer lifeguards on the stands in Ocean City.

Beach Patrol has 91 lifeguard stands up at the peak of summer, but now that’s reduced to about 28.

To make up for the lack of guards there will be an increase in ATV coverage in the areas between the stands.

Guards want to remind beach goers to find a lifeguard before you get in the water and don’t go in the morning before guards are on the beach. This has the potential of being a dangerous week in the waters with Tropical Depression Erin off the coast, and so beach patrol is asking everyone to use caution.

“We’re going to have to judge that day by day. But there’s always the potential when the storm comes by, no matter how far off it is it’s going to affect us in some way. It’s just a matter of how close and how much it’s going to affect us,” said Lt. Ward Kovacs with the Ocean City Beach Patrol.

As for Labor Day weekend, Kovacs says they expect some guards to return for the holiday.