Lifeguards to end beach patrols for the season

OCEAN CITY, MD. – With the summer season coming to an end, Ocean City beach officials are urging beachgoers to be mindful near the water.

Monday marks the last day that lifeguards will be on duty, until Memorial Day, 2024. With the choppy waves, Butch Arbin Captain of the Ocean City Maryland Beach Patrol says using your best judgment when it comes to water safety is crucial this time of year. He advises people not to get into the water to avoid rip currents.

“We tell people the rip currents, which are our number one problem, occur 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, so just because we’re not on duty doesn’t mean rip currents go away,” Arbin said.

“When we’re on duty and someone gets caught in a rip, we’re there to help them,” Arbin said. “If we’re not there, which starts tomorrow, and someone calls 911 when a person’s in trouble in the ocean, and they’re panicking, they literally have minutes to live.”