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BPAC Kickoff

Something new is brewing at the Park Board that has potential to have a lasting and positive impact for the increasing number of beach users that the island sees each year. We are about to launch a Beach Patrol Advisory Committee (B.P.A.C.).

The mission of the Beach Patrol Advisory Committee (BPAC) is to support the Galveston Park Board of Trustees (PBOT) on issues related to the safety and security of beach patrons using Galveston Island Beaches, including long-term planning, budgeting, staffing levels, funding, and safety equipment.

If you’re a regular reader of this column you likely have a feel for the myriad of services Beach Patrol offers in addition to direct guarding of 32 miles of beach. In order to stretch our resources to address the needs of one of the country’s busiest beaches, we augment the core program with volunteer programs, a large day camp, a beach park security program, disaster response, 24/7/365 “on call” program, a large water safety educational program, and numerous collaborations and partnerships that enhance beach safety. But even with all of this, keeping the beaches safe and the drowning fatality rate low is an ongoing challenge. And with increasing use on the west end, the stretch between Stewart Beach and East Beach, Babe’s Beach, and the entire beach during what was formerly known as the “cold season”, looking at how to meet these trends is critical to our moral imperative and economic health as a tourist destination.

The B.P.A.C. Committee will take direction from the Park Board of Trustees and the annual work plans authorized by the Board to develop solutions, recommendations, insight, metrics, analysis, and direction on issues related to the safety and security of people who use Galveston’s beaches.  BPAC’s meetings, recommendations and reports will be open to the public, with all written recommendations and findings sent to the Board chairman for consideration by the Board.

This committee is to be comprised of 13 individuals elected by the Board of Trustees including 1 representative each from local law enforcement, fire, EMS, and the Hotel and Lodging Association. Joining them will be 4 Citizens at large, 1 beach related business representative, 2 representatives from volunteer organizations dealing with beaches, and 2 members of the Park Board of Trustees.

A representative for the City of Galveston and several from the Beach Patrol shall serve as non-voting resource members.

I see this as a real opportunity to share the good job that my crew does and to gain a fresh perspective and increased connections to the groups the members represent. I’m a big believer in organizational transparency and see this as an opportunity to enhance that. But most importantly, as a life long public safety professional, it’s a wonderful opportunity to focus on something most organizations don’t spend enough energy on. Planning for the future and working out responses in advance to all types of hypothetical stumbling blocks. It’s the same principle we teach new guards. Plan for and practice responses to as many variables as possible before you’re diving in the water to make a save.

Cold Water Precautions

The water temperature on the beachfront dropped considerably in the pasts couple of weeks. This is a pretty dramatic shift, as only a degree or two makes a significant difference when you’re swimming.

Because the water is so shallow here on the upper Texas coast, the water temperature is constantly changing during the fall and spring. A few warm or cold days can have a big impact. And when fronts blow through and take the warm water sitting close to the surface out to sea, the deeper and cooler water wells up.

With recent water temps in the low 60’s, getting out on the water requires more foresight and preparation than during warmer months. A quick dip in the water when you’re a couple miles from shore can become a serious thing without proper gear. Kayakers, surfers, kite-boarders, stand-up paddlers, etc. should not only wear a wetsuit, but should have the right wetsuit for the activity and conditions. When at all appropriate, it’s a really good idea to not just bring a life jacket, but to wear it. That way, when the unexpected happens, you’re able to float and wait for help long after the cold water prevents swimming.

When the air is warm, but the water is cold, the conditions are ripe for sea fog. This fog can appear all at once or as a white bank that rolls in. Our Houston/Galveston National Weather Service office, one of the best in the country, is very tuned in to the aquatic environment and puts out all kinds of relevant marine warnings. That said, localized fog can happen without warning. Rescue workers from all agencies associated with the “Galveston Marine Response” coalition as well as the Coast Guard are kept busy when kayakers and boaters get lost in fog in the West Bay and San Luis Pass areas. Stranded people could be really close to shore but have no idea where they are.

Aside from proper attire and a Coast Guard approved lifejacket, there are a few other things you should do before getting on the water. First, be sure someone has very specific and accurate information about where you’re going and what times you’ll be out. Having participated in hundreds of searches for people, I can tell you the better starting point a rescuer has, the more likely they are to locate the missing person. Make sure your cell phone is charged and in a waterproof case. There are apps that can help you find your way around, but don’t rely on electronics! A compass on my watch has gotten me out of a jam more than once when I was training on my surf ski a couple miles from shore and a fog bank rolled in.

Most importantly, take a moment to think of all the things that could go wrong before getting out there, then plan accordingly. Remember that “Murphy’s Law” increases when wet!

Moody’s, Babe and HOT

Bobby Moody’s passing is a significant moment for Galveston, and I imagine it brings up a mix of emotions and memories for people because of both his personal impact and the historic influence his family has had on our island community. As a young kid, I spent a lot of time at the Moody’s house. My mom grew up with Bobby’s wife and my dad worked for him as his financial advisor.

Mostly, I am thankful to Bobby and his family for the kickstart they gave the Beach Patrol back in 1981. We were underfunded and understaffed for the growth in visitation and beach use. Forward thinking leaders realized that if the beaches weren’t clean and safe, a tourist beach town like Galveston would suffer.

The Beach Patrol and Beach Cleaning groups needed help to manage the increasing demand. The Moody Foundation gave a generous grant to Beach Patrol for equipment, Joe Max Taylor and the Sheriff Office provided structure, and Senator Babe Schwartz and others came up with an innovative solution to fund the lifeguard service through the Park Board, Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT).

To my knowledge, we were the first lifeguard service to be funded by HOT. Senator Schwartz proposed legislation that gave the Beach Patrol 1 penny for every dollar spent from the bed tax collected in Galveston. Many lifeguard services use the same formula now, as beach lifeguarding and tourism development are closely linked, considering the beach is our number one attraction.

And there have been funding changes since then. In 1993, we received an additional half a penny in anticipation of the first big sand nourishment project. But then, some HOT was pulled away from Beach Patrol and Coastal Zone Management (CZM) to help fund the convention center. Today, Beach Patrol is a Park Board department and receives 1.1667 pennies for every visitor dollar spent on short-term rentals and hotels.

This funding is critical for our operations, and it has, fortunately, grown with the increasing need as we see more beachgoers with each passing year. And the creation of new beaches and development projects will increase this demand even more. Because of this funding, we are currently able to efficiently meet our staffing demands and cover 34 lifeguard towers on 9 miles of beach, run summer patrols every day on the west end, a weekend patrol at the San Luis Pass, and provide 24/7/365 “on call” service for the citizens and tourists across 32 miles of beach and 70 miles of total waterfront adjacent to the island.

We run lean and hard. Close to 90% of our annual operation budget goes to salaries, and we currently effect half a million proactive preventative measures a year. We couldn’t do all this without a supportive community, every bit of the the HOT funding we receive, and an amazing, dedicated corps of lifeguards.

With the support of the Galveston community, GIBP is dedicated to continuing its much-needed work.

GMR Rescue

“Beach Patrol, car in the water 8 mile road bayside. Occupants possibly trapped inside”.

This call dropped a few years back. A call we dread, particularly at night. Supervisor/Officer Austin Kirwin, now our Lieutenant, happened to be near the radio and asked if the “on call” supervisor wanted assistance, which she wisely accepted. Water calls at night can be pretty scary no matter how well trained you are. Each of our year-round staff members has been there multiple times, and is quick to help each other out.

The 911 dispatcher followed protocol and dispatched the lifeguards first, then all the other emergency responders. In a water emergency it doesn’t make sense to have a police officer or paramedic arriving first and waiting a long time until a lifeguard gets there to enter the water. Life threatening events typically develop much faster in water than on land.

Once Beach Patrol was on the way the dispatcher called the rest of the “Galveston Marine Response” group which, for this call, included police, fire, EMS, and Jamaica Beach Fire Rescue. While on the way they all switched to the shared “Marine Response” channel and coordinated their resources. When the Fire Department arrived they set up lights and located the vehicle. Police blocked off the area and EMS staged for a potential medical emergency.

Austin arrived to find the car still floating after blasting off the end of the road. It was about 70 yards from the shore and a man in a white shirt was sitting cross legged on the roof. Austin grabbed his rescue board and a tube and got there quickly. Upon arrival he first asked if there was anyone else in the car. The man said there wasn’t. After a short conversation to assess the mental status of the man and a quick look inside the car, Austin was able to get him onto the rescue board and paddled him to safety, where he was checked out by EMS and Fire. He was later transported by EMS to the emergency room.  The man didn’t remember how he ended up on top of the now barely floating car. Once he had completed the rescue, Austin went back out to the car to recheck for other victims.

The Police Dive team was assembling, and a police officer and lifeguard supervisor went with Jamaica Beach Fire Rescue in their boat to join Austin in checking the vehicle. They found nothing and towed the bobbing vehicle close enough for a wrecker to hook up to it. The headlights were still on as divers began double checking for victims.

As the island slept, the Galveston Marine Response worked seamlessly to rescue yet another person from a near catastrophe. Each of these groups operates on a tight budget, but they still find a way to make rescues like this happen. Austin didn’t have to respond to that call, but he and the men and women of each of the GMR participating agencies know that their efforts make a huge difference.

Labor Day Advisory

With Labor Day upon us we’re expecting several hundred thousand people to be on the island this weekend. That’s a lot of chances to have something go wrong.

Over the past couple of weeks there have been several rescues that we’ve had to make by the rock jetties despite our best efforts to keep people far enough away to avoid trouble. There have also been a couple of incidents involving young children in area pools. Most or all of these incidents happened at least partly due to momentary lapses in judgment.

People do things when on vacation or out recreating that they would never do in their normal life. Parents who no doubt are very attentive to their children lose them repeatedly at our large beach parks. We have had up to 60 lost kids in a single day at Stewart Beach alone. People who are not generally risk takers swim far from shore and/or pay no attention to warning signs, flags, or lifeguard instructions. Are the parents bad parents? Are the people ignoring safety messages intentionally? Not in my opinion.

All of us get in a different mindset when we’re away from our routine and when we do something fun. We throw caution to the wind and immerse ourselves in the sea and sand and fun. This is good to a point and that point is sometimes the shoreline. Water is not our natural element. Things can go wrong quickly in the water so it only takes a momentary lapse of judgment or seconds of inattention for things to break bad.

But is doesn’t have to be that way. Taking a moment to observe your surroundings at the beach or pool does a lot. Asking someone who is knowledgeable, like a lifeguard, what to watch for before getting wet means that you greatly reduce your chances of an accident.

When you go out this weekend to enjoy any type of water remember to take a minute to be aware of your surroundings and potential risk. You also want to remember the basics like not swimming alone, staying hydrated, protecting yourself from the sun, observing signs and flags, feet first first time, alcohol and water don’t mix, and non-swimmers  and children should wear lifejackets. At the beach, you should also avoid swimming in areas where rip currents are likely, like near piers and jetties. These are protected by lifeguards and clearly marked with bilingual, iconic signage. And please don’t swim or wade in the San Luis Pass or Houston Ship Channel.

Choose to swim in areas protected by lifeguards. In beaches guarded by United States Lifesaving Association lifeguards, like Galveston with has an “Advanced Level” agency, your chances of drowning are 1 in 18 million.

But above all, YOU are responsible for the safety of both yourself and your family. Lifeguards provide an extra layer of protection in case your safety net lapses temporarily.

Enjoy the Labor Day weekend. You deserve it. See you on the beach!

Colombo

I’ve written before about Leroy Colombo, the most well-known lifeguard to come from our island, but someone so larger than life deserves multiple visits.

We all know that he was formerly credited in the Guinness Book of World Records with saving 907 lives, the most of any lifeguard in recorded history. Most also know that he was stricken with spinal meningitis at age 7 which left him deaf and without the use of his legs. With the help of his brothers he started swimming to rehab and eventually became a champion distance swimmer. As a champion swimmer and the first hearing impaired lifeguard he is a real testament to the human spirit’s ability to overcome adversary.

But it wasn’t until much later in life that he was considered a hero. As with almost all lifeguards it isn’t a career that leads very often to accolades. He did reportedly get a tip for saving a woman’s false teeth and for saving a poodle. And he got a couple of cans of beer once for saving a young girl from drowning. But there were hundreds saved without any type of recognition, even though he is said to have nearly drowned 16 times while making rescues.

He made his first rescue at 12, and by the time he turned 18 in 1923 he tried out for Galveston’s prestigious “Surf and Toboggan Club”. To do so he had to swim 3 hours without stopping. He officially became a Galveston lifeguard that year as well. We continue this tradition today with our “night swim”, the final physical challenge for the incoming lifeguards. All the staff joins them in completing a tough course involving lifeguard skills including swimming, rescue board paddling, running, climbing, and even some knowledge based activities, which can also be as long as 3 hours.

He followed the tradition of the Hawaiian “Waterman” (which included women) in that he lived in a way that was close to the ocean and practiced many of the disciplines related to the surf environment. In fact he was one of the first people in Galveston to practice the sport of surfing. His close childhood friend and fellow lifeguard, Ducky Prendergast, told me stories of how they used to overinflate long surf mats so they were rigid enough to surf on. We were fortunate to receive a wooden surfboard that he owned that eventually will be a focus point in a Lifeguard museum here on the island.

He exemplified the “Lifeguards for Life” motto of the United States Lifesaving Association. Even after he retired at 62 due to a heart condition, he kept swimming for the remainder of his life. That level of commitment doesn’t end just because the flesh wears out or the job is no longer an option. He’s a real role model for those who carry on with the tradition.

Hopefully those of us who share his love of the ocean and commitment to serving others through lifesaving will inspire future generations. He has certainly done this for us.

2023 USLA National Results

The best of the best went head-to-head for 4 days in Virginia Beach last week. The United States Lifesaving Association National Lifeguard Championships had over 800 Junior Guards, Open Lifeguards, and Age Groupers who battled it out over a long, 4-day competition.

All of the Lifesaving Sport events simulate some facet of open water rescue. Some are directly related like the 400-meter swim, run-swim-run, 2K beach run, rescue board race, and the swim and rescue board rescue. The more grueling ones combine different events, like the American Iron Person, which involves a 300-meter swim, 600-meter rescue board paddle, and 1000-meter row in a 1–2-person surf boat. Same for International Iron Person which substitutes a surf ski (long, skinny, ultra-fast kayak) for the surf boat. Most of the events mirror the international standard, but a couple of races are specific to USA lifesaving history. The surf boat race is a nod to our past since most of us use jet skis these days. Same for the Landline race where a swimmer swims 300 meters out dragging a long line behind them to make contact with a “victim” which two other people drag to shore by pulling the line in with repeated sprints.

Galveston made its mark both with our Junior Lifeguard team and the adult lifeguard teams.

In one long, grueling day our Juniors went at it, and in typical lifeguarding fashion they and their adult counterparts made friends with the competition. They compared notes about beaches, programs, and rescue techniques, and had a great time. Some of our more significant finishes were:

Maddy Scott- 2nd in distance run, 3rd swim rescue, 9th paddle relay, 10th run-swim-run

Zoey Scott- 1st distance run, 7th rescue board, 6th swim rescue, 6th paddle relay, 5th run-swim-run, 3rd iron guard (run-swim-paddle), 6th distance swim

Ryan Pryor- 8th distance run, 7th beach flags, 9th swim rescue, 3rd paddle relay

Houston Pryor- 8th distance run, 4th paddle relay

Caroline Livanec- 8th beach flags, 4th paddle relay

Abby Hart- 4th paddle relay

For the next three days the big guards were up. We ended up with an overall 6th place in the mid-sized teams category, which was impressive with only 8 competitors and most of the points being made in age group events. Jacque Emmert was our standout, raking in points on both age group and open events. Standout performances included:

Mac Livanec- semifinals in open Surf Ski (big deal!)

Jeff Mullins- 4th in American Ironman and 16th in mixed open row

Peter Davis- 2nd American Ironman, 3rd Surfski, semis in open Surfski, 4th Beach Flags, 4th International Ironman, 5th Rescue Board, 6th Run-Swim-Run

Jacque Emmert- 9th open American Ironwoman, 9th open Single Surfboat, 2nd Surf Swim, 2nd Run-Swim-Run, 3rd Rescue Board Race, 5th Surfski, 2nd American Ironwomen, 4th 2k Beach Run, and a GOLD medal in the International Ironwoman

Congrats to our athletes and kudos for all the blood, sweat, and  training that went into preparing. And a special thank you to our guards who stayed home and kept our beaches safe during a busy, busy weekend!

De-stress Training

The golden orange early morning light slanted across the surface as the bow of the surf ski sliced through glassy, emerald water. The only sounds a mile and a half from shore were from paddles dipping into the water and rhythmic breathing, punctuated by the occasional bird sound. 15 minutes into an hour and a half training session and I was in the zone, when an unexpected wet blowing sound just off to the side startled me. This ended up being one of the best paddles of the summer.

A dolphin had broken the surface off to the right side and as I saw its tail slip beneath the surface, I realized how clear the water was. I was able to track it under the front of the boat and see it moving off to the left, along with several other shapes that were swimming in tandem. Another surfaced, then another, and I realized they were all over. It was a pod of around twenty bottle nosed dolphins. I adjusted course to track with the group and for the next 10 minutes saw them play, come up beside me and look at me with curious, all too human eyes, and jump in the air. Eventually they drifted off and I resumed my course farther offshore.

In what is arguably the busiest beach and hottest season Galveston has seen, the demands on our staff are many. They have risen to the occasion and have done the hard work of keeping people from danger day in and day out. To do this we’ve had to find balance. Physical balance includes daily exercise, staying hydrated/healthy, and being self-aware enough to realize when you shouldn’t push too hard or shouldn’t take that extra shift. But equally important is the need to maintain psychological balance and build things into your routine to counteract the stress that being constantly on the watch for ways to keep people from hurting themselves brings. We’ve tried to build that into our routine as an agency by allowing time for daily training, providing formal leadership/resiliency training, and encouraging social time outside of work. In fact, last Friday our non-profit lifesaving association hosted a very nice dinner and awards banquet for the whole staff with the help of a generous donation from the Sasser family (thank you!). It was really cool to see the crew relaxing with friends and co-workers outside of work. Special congrats to our 2023 Lifeguard of the Year, Josh Schmidt, who was chosen by his peers and whose name is now memorialized on the lifeguard of the year plaque that hangs in our Headquarters!

Back to my personal de-stress routine, once I’d reached a turnaround point about 4 miles offshore, I took a few minutes to swim around in the abnormally crystal-clear water before heading back. On the way I was again startled by a 6-foot Spinner Shark jumping/spinning about 5 feet above the water and reconnected with the big dolphin pod before returning to shore refreshed and ready to start another day on the beach.

Lucero in action!

The Galveston Police Department dispatcher called to let us know to be on the lookout for a woman who reportedly was on the way to Galveston to commit suicide on the beach, likely either Stewart Beach or East Beach.

Supervisor/Officer Michael Lucero was just starting his shift and, recognizing the urgency of the call, decided to go directly out to East Beach to see if anyone matching the description was in the area. He notified our dispatch that he’d be on the way to check, and about four or five minutes later called in to say that he’d located someone matching the person and vehicle description and requested backup. Dispatch responded saying that Police and EMS were enroute.  About two minutes later he called again saying he was struggling with the person and asked that we send the closest Beach Patrol unit to assist until EMS and the Galveston Police Department arrived. Shortly afterwards, Beach Patrol Lieutenant Austin Kirwin called in that he was on location and that Lucero had everything under control.

Michael later told me that he was afraid the woman was actively committing suicide.  When he approached the passenger side of the car, he noticed the bottle of alcohol she was drinking.  She tried to drive off, but he quickly reached into the car and took her keys. She then grabbed a big container of pills and started trying to cram them into her mouth. He grabbed the container and, as they struggled for it, he made a quick call on the radio for assistance. By the time Lt. Kirwin arrived Michael had both the keys and the pills and was standing by the car. Police, EMS, and Fire showed up shortly afterwards and she was taken to the hospital for evaluation.

There are so many ways the woman could have lost her life that day. Had Michael Lucero decided to quickly check in at headquarters before checking the park, had he not proactively entered the car and grabbed the keys, or reacted slower in recognizing that she was about to take the pills, the situation could have gone a much different way.

Michael has been a full time Beach Patrol Supervisor for 5 years and chose to go through the law enforcement academy a couple of years ago to enhance his capabilities on the beach. He says, “I chose to work for Beach Patrol because I grew up competitive swimming my whole life, and in high school all my friends from my swim team worked here in the summer. So, during my Senior year of high school I decided to come down and try out, and I’ve been here ever since.”

The Beach Patrol and the millions that visit our beaches are lucky to have someone like Michael and his fellow guards and responders from Police, Fire, and EMS looking out for them when they visit.

Michael recently qualified to represent Galveston at the United States Lifesaving Association National Championships in Virginia Beach, Va. Wish him luck!

Beachfest – Junior Lifeguard Program

The end of the Junior Lifeguard Program is here and is a big deal for us. Last Thursday the kids went to Matagorda for a full day on that beautiful, deserted beach. Today is “Beachfest”, which is a day of competition where the kids compete in a run, swim, paddle race, run-swim-run, swim rescue, paddle rescue, and beach flags. It’s always a good time and many of the parents come down to cheer, hang out, and enjoy beach BBQ. It’s so cool to see how far the younger kids come in only 6 weeks. I love the 10-11 year old age group paddle race where some of the smaller kids look like they’re paddling boats! The conditions are a little choppy so there will be a bit of a challenge. Its always a good time and I love the part at the end when we spend time story-swapping time under tarps eating great food.

Next Wednesday days the big guards compete in the Gulf Coast Championships of the United States Lifesaving Association in Port Aransas. There are 5 beach lifeguard organizations in the state of Texas and hopefully all will be present. Those who do well will represent “Team Texas” in the National Lifesaving Championships.

This is a four-day event involving both Junior Lifeguard events and Lifeguard events where the best of the best duel it out on the beach. It rotates beaches each year and this year we’ll be at one of my favorite beaches for competition, Virginia Beach. Not only is it a beautiful spot, but the community has done an amazing job of creating an admirable beach product that includes art, performance spaces, and well-maintained amenities. They have a good lifeguard program, police bicycle security program, and do a great job of keeping everything clean and hospitable. Galveston is my favorite beach, but I love visiting other venues to get ideas on how we can be even better.

Another thing we’re excited about is that since the Junior Guard program is over, we start our Community Beach Camps for non-profits that work with kids, prioritizing those that work with at risk youth. These camps are half day camps that are like mini Junior Guard sessions and are taught by our Junior Guard instructors. Kids get to experience a water safety seminar, learn about nutrition, hydration, and sun protection, and have a discussion about what a typical day is like for a lifeguard. Once the classroom portion is finished, they have an introduction to paddle boarding workshop.

Whether we’re talking about competition for young adults, Junior Guarding for teens and “tweens”, community camps for all ages, or our Spring School Water Safety Education Program, hundreds if not thousands of kids and young adults are getting at least some exposure to the beach environment and the values inherent in lifesaving and public safety each season. Our wonderful instructors are great role models, embody these values, and work very hard all season. I’m proud to work with them.