Another shocking beach safety hazard struck as a lifeguard was brutally impaled by a runaway beach umbrella while simply doing her job.
The freak accident highlights the growing dangers of everyday items turned lethal weapons by unpredictable weather, with thousands of Americans injured annually by these common beach accessories.
A routine morning at New Jersey’s Asbury Park Beach turned into a nightmare scenario when a beach umbrella violently impaled a female lifeguard at the 3rd Avenue Beach.
The incident occurred when the dedicated young woman was setting up for the day, installing beach umbrellas, when a sudden gust of wind transformed the ordinary beach item into a dangerous projectile.
The umbrella stake, approximately 6 feet long, penetrated under her left shoulder and grotesquely protruded out of her back by about a foot.
Emergency responders arrived quickly at the scene to find the young woman in what must have been excruciating pain, yet she remained conscious and alert throughout the ordeal.
First responders had to use a bandsaw to cut the umbrella stake into smaller pieces so that she could fit into the ambulance.
Many Americans are unaware that this is not an isolated incident. According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, approximately 3,000 injuries from windblown beach umbrellas are reported annually.
These statistics reveal a pattern of danger that federal regulators have largely ignored.
Fatal incidents have occurred in recent years, including a 63-year-old woman killed in South Carolina in 2022 and a 55-year-old woman who died in Virginia Beach in 2016.
Yet, little has been done to address these preventable tragedies.
Despite the horrific nature of her injuries, the young lifeguard demonstrated remarkable courage throughout the ordeal.
She was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center where she was reported to be in stable condition.
Eyewitness John Bongiovanni recounted that the accident occurred when “she was putting the umbrella in, a gust of wind came up and started to pull it up. So as it pulled up, she reached to try to grab it.”
She showed her instinctive dedication to safety even in the face of personal danger.
The Asbury Park Fire Department Chief Kevin Keddy praised the young woman’s resilience, stating simply, “She’s a tough young woman.”
In addition, beach safety experts recommend securing umbrellas firmly in the sand and always carrying them with the point facing downward.
These common-sense measures could prevent thousands of injuries each year.
As this brave young lifeguard recovers from her traumatic injuries, her story serves as a warning about unexpected dangers lurking at the nation’s beaches.
