2021 Sea Bright Ocean Rescue
About Us
6 Years of Ocean Rescue Statistics-
Seasons 2015-2020
Drowning Guarded Area: 0
Drowning Unguarded Area : 1
Preventative Actions : 25,628
Rescues: 723
Minor Medical Aid: 480
Major Medical Aid: 188
Missing Persons Found: 136
Boat Vessel Assist: 22
Mutual Aid Code-X: 7
Public Ocean front Beaches
Sea Bright Public (Main Beach)
Lifeguards On Duty 9 am to 5 pm SUMMER ONLY!
Sea Bright Public is our largest municipal beach. There are two guarded designated swim areas on this beach and lifeguard HQ is located high sand. The lifeguard supervisor is stationed on this beach and it is the staging area of our surf rescue team ATV and rescue water craft Ski-1.
More information under Facilities and Equipment
Anchorage Beach
Lifeguards On Duty 9 am to 5 pm SUMMER ONLY!
Anchorage was a very well known Monmouth County surf spot and jetty break throughout the 70's and 80's. In 2015 the Police Chief and borough town council approved lifeguard staffing on this beach as a trial operation. In the first month our lifeguards made a critical multi-victim rescue on a beach just south of the Jetty which secured a permanent assignment for SBOR.
Anchorage's Ocean Lifeguards work from a single stand at the center of the beach. The lifeguards assigned to this beach are usually surfers who manage both swimming and surfing activities. Surfing is permitted outside of the flagged swim area at the discretion of the Anchorage Beach lifeguards. Look for the flags or ask the guy/girl in the red shorts where it is safe to swim or surf.
UNGUARDED Public Beaches
NO LIFEGUARDS ON-DUTY
Tradewinds, Gators Beach, Brothers Beach and Via Ripa all have public access points found within the boundaries of the Boro of Sea Bright. These beaches are unprotected and marked SWIM AT YOUR OWN RISK..
These unguarded beaches are both really cool and really dangerous at times. If you choose to swim in an unguarded area please check the condition flags of the borough. Red Flag days or double red flag days are highly dangerous and usually indicate the presence of life threatening rip currents.
If you experience a medical or water related emergency at any of the above named unprotected beaches please dial 911 for EMS, Fire, Police and Lifeguards.
Lifeguard Operations
Preventative Actions
The ultimate objective of our lifeguard operations is to prevent drowning, water rescues and injuries using aquatic hazard mitigation techniques taken from some of the top lifeguard services worldwide. The vigilance of Sea Bright's lifeguards is second to none because we take imence pride in keeping the public safe.
"A prevention is better than an assist, an assist is better than a rescue, a rescue is better than a body recovery." Ron Trenton City of San Diego Lifeguard Service (pre-SDFD)
Passive, Active and Contact Warnings
Sea Bright's ocean lifeguards use different methods to manage risk and communicate with the public, they include:
1. Passive Warnings includes the daily and routine use of signs and flags to inform the public of beach and ocean hazards. (Please see the link below)
2. Active Warnings include general use of whistles, arm signals and PA megaphone systems. This method also includes the use of social media and and Pixel Alerts to pass along vital information to the public.
3. Contact Warnings this type of warning is the most effective and involves our lifeguard personnel speaking directly with a beach patron face-to-face. sometimes called a personal contact.
Ocean and Surf Rescue
Our lifeguards stand ready to effect rescue if all else has failed. An ocean lifeguard receives well over 70 hours of training in ocean rescue and aquatic medical response during their first season. Rookies train extensively in the ocean and river swift waters where they learn their trade craft participating in worst case scenarios long after they complete Rookie School.
Sea Bright’s ocean lifeguards are specifically trained to make rescues independently in rip currents. On bigger days our beach guards use only surf fins and RFD’s eliminating the need for a two person land line operation. Because we train extensively whenever the surf is up, primarily in the impact zone, our personnel learn quickly how to use even the most dangerous rip currents to their advantage during rescue operations.
Emergency Medical Response
If you are at the beach and require medical aid notify your closest ocean lifeguard or call 911.
Every Sea Bright Ocean Lifeguard holds CPR, AED and First-aid certifications by the American Heart Association. Some of our lifeguards hold paramedic and EMT certifications from the State of NJ and National Registry.
Our rescue unit carries electric suction, oxygen and an AED on each ATV. We practice highly coordinated resuscitation including Pit Crew CPR (high performance)
We have at least two senior lifeguards assigned to the Surf Rescue Team daily, one must be an Ocean Rescue Specialist-EMT. The job of our mobile two person team when assigned to a medical aid is to locate and stabilize the victim (in the water or on the beach) and extricate them as quickly as possible to the awaiting EMS ambulance.
Our SRT handles all medical responses to our seven private beach clubs within the borough. SRT works very closely with the Sea Bright First Aid Squad and with Sea Bright Fire Rescue to provide seamless care in an otherwise chaotic environment. In some cases one of our lifeguard-EMT’s will ride with the patient to the hospital in the FAS ambulance when acuity dictates and staffing permits giving our guards even more exposure to lifesaving skills. The sick and injured receive a better level of service when departments enjoy working together as we do in our boro.
We are very thankful to our public safety partners and honor the responsibility of serving the town of Sea Bright with our fellow first responders.
Zulu Shift Beach Patrol - SRT
Our senior lifeguards as part of Surf Rescue Team 43-88 have a responsibility of patrolling the public beaches and unguarded areas of Sea Bright even after the primary lifeguard stands go off duty for the day. The Zulu Shift lifeguards are meant to be a reactive rescue unit only, designated to respond and patrol the public beaches performing preventative actions when required. This unit is not generally used as a mobile lifeguard stand and it’s presence does not mean that an area of water is under observation.
Missing Children
Sea Bright's lifeguards search for and find about 25 missing children a year, most within 5 minutes of the initial report. We work very closely with the Police department and the beach clubs in a coordinated effort to locate missing children quickly and effectively.
HIGHLANDS river lifeguard operations
Snug Harbor Beach
Snug Harbor Beach is the largest of the two borough beaches. This is a free beach and it is where the river lifeguard supervisor is stationed. There are highly trained lifeguards protecting the water here from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm daily until Labor Day.
Miller Street Lifeguard Station
Miller street beach is a small quaint free beach in the Highlands perfect for a quiet family outing. There are highly trained lifeguards on duty here from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm daily all through the summer season until Labor Day.
Miller Beach
Another perfect view of Sandy Hook from Miller Street Beach in the Highlands.
Highlands Borough RIVER Safety
2020 River Safety Statistics, Highlands Borough
Duty Days : 84
Drownings: 0
Preventative actions: 730
Water Rescues: 6
Minor Medical Aids: 6
Major Medical Aids: 0
Vessel Boat Assists: 2
Logistics and Quality Assurance
Command Staff
Equipment and Facilities
Agency Certifications
Senior lifeguards are promoted into supervisor positions based on past job performance, experience and certifications.
The following is the 2021 roster of lifeguard supers:
- Beach Manager Admistration "Coach" Don Klein BA
- Chief Lifeguard
- Mike Hudson NR-Paramedic , NJ MICP
- First Lieutenant 1 Lincoln
- A.
Senior lifeguards are promoted into supervisor positions based on past job performance, experience and certifications.
The following is the 2021 roster of lifeguard supers:
- Beach Manager Admistration "Coach" Don Klein BA
- Chief Lifeguard
- Mike Hudson NR-Paramedic , NJ MICP
- First Lieutenant 1 Lincoln
- A. Rooney NREMT, NJEMT, RWCO
- Lieutenant 2L Nick Grippo NJ EMT
- Lieutenant
- Lieutenant
- Sergeant
- Sergeant
- Sergeant
- Sergeant
Agency Certifications
Equipment and Facilities
Agency Certifications
Sea Bright Ocean Rescue (agency) has met the standards and requirements for beach and open water lifesaving services as set by the following organizations:
United States Lifesaving Association
- Certified Agency
- Certified Aquatic Rescue Response Team
- Certified PRWC Agency
North Shore Lifesaving Association
- Certified Lifeguard Service
State of
Sea Bright Ocean Rescue (agency) has met the standards and requirements for beach and open water lifesaving services as set by the following organizations:
United States Lifesaving Association
- Certified Agency
- Certified Aquatic Rescue Response Team
- Certified PRWC Agency
North Shore Lifesaving Association
- Certified Lifeguard Service
State of NJ Department of Health
Monmouth County Health and Human Services
- Completion of annual state and county inspections for tidal water and ocean lifeguard services per NJAC 8:26
Equipment and Facilities
Equipment and Facilities
Equipment and Facilities
Ocean Rescue Head Quarters:
WE HAVE MOVED to the New Beach Pavilion On the east edge of the main public beach parking lot.
Headquarters will house the new Tower Zero and also houses the offices of the beach manager and Chief Lifeguard. There will be a small first aid and resuscitation station with an AED located on this site.
The Surf
Ocean Rescue Head Quarters:
WE HAVE MOVED to the New Beach Pavilion On the east edge of the main public beach parking lot.
Headquarters will house the new Tower Zero and also houses the offices of the beach manager and Chief Lifeguard. There will be a small first aid and resuscitation station with an AED located on this site.
The Surf Rescue Team will also be stationed at the new HQ as well as their rescue water craft and ATV vehicles.
We maintain the required minimum equipment cache per the standards of the United States Lifesaving Association.
Lifesaving Equipment
All Terrain Vehicle SRT 43-88
SRT-1 Ranger Polaris 4 wheel drive ATV 43-88
Sea Doo RXP 260 RWC with C4 waterman sled.
Rescue Water Craft RWC
2019 Kawasaki STX 15 F. Fast and maneuverable in the surf zone, ideal for rescue swimmer deployment