Overview
- The city’s 14 miles of public beaches opened for the season on May 23 and will remain free and staffed daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Sept. 13.
- Parks officials reported roughly 370 lifeguards on duty over the Memorial Day weekend, up from about 280 in 2025, and said staffing should continue to rise through July as certifications finish.
- The Fire Department and Parks Department have added daily drone patrols in the Rockaways, medical ATVs and UTVs at high-use sites, and a “gator” vehicle to speed lifesaving responses at selected beaches.
- Police are conducting an active search for a 17-year-old swimmer who disappeared at Rockaway Beach earlier this week, and the National Weather Service has issued rip current and high-surf advisories for coastal areas.
- Outdoor public pools are scheduled to open June 27, and city officials say the staffing increases and new monitoring tools respond to post-pandemic lifeguard shortages and recent waterfront fatalities that highlight persistent risks.