Ocean City Beach Patrol Scaling Down Stand Coverage

OCEAN CITY — While the annual education drain is already affecting the Ocean City Beach Patrol, the resort’s 10 miles of sandy beaches will remain covered through the final stretch of the season albeit with thinner ranks and creative scheduling.

While Delaware Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) officials last week announced many of the ocean swimming beaches in the state parks will be left unguarded on weekdays for the final stretch of the summer season, the Ocean City Beach Patrol is also dealing with the annual employment exodus caused by so many staffers involved in education whether it be as students, teachers or administrators.

If ever the message “keep your feet in the sand until the lifeguards are in the stand,” needed reinforcing, the final few weeks of summer heading into Labor Day will be a time to closely monitor the beach patrol’s coverage areas.

OCBP Captain Butch Arbin said this week the Beach Patrol already dropped 10 stands last week and dropped 20 more this week. Arbin said the coverage areas are always adjusted on the Monday of a new week late in the season so weekly renters are aware of any changes.

More