{"id":10773,"date":"2016-06-20T08:00:53","date_gmt":"2016-06-20T12:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/?p=10773"},"modified":"2017-04-14T18:16:36","modified_gmt":"2017-04-14T22:16:36","slug":"on-duty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/2016\/06\/20\/on-duty\/","title":{"rendered":"On Duty: State park lifeguards"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Guarding

Guarding Sandy Point; courtesy of Chesapeake Bay Program<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

Maryland State Parks<\/a> annually host more than 6 million visitors between Memorial Day and Labor Day. They come to enjoy the campgrounds, trails and playgrounds, and to cool off in the water. Many parks boast water attractions<\/a> like lakes and beaches along the Atlantic Ocean, Chesapeake Bay and Deep Creek Lake, and even a couple of pools.<\/p>\n

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\"Assateague;

Assateague; by Stephen Badger<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

Each year, the Maryland Park Service hires more than one hundred lifeguards to keep watch over our visitors who want to spend a fun-filled and safe day near or in the water with family and friends.<\/p>\n

Lifeguards are on duty during summer months to ensure public safety and educate visitors of both the joys and the hazards of an aquatic environment. They often serve as the main point of contact and answer questions, give directions and even assist with wildlife issues.<\/p>\n

A premier spot for bay swimming and waterfront picnics, Sandy Point<\/a> employs twenty lifeguards to monitor 1,600 feet of very busy beachfront. Keeping a watchful eye over their areas, they rescue swimmers, assist boaters in distress and help locate lost children. In 2015 alone, Sandy Point lifeguards reunited over 120 children with their parents!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Safety tips <\/strong><\/p>\n

To help our lifeguards this summer, please follow these simple steps to ensure the safety of you and your family and friends:<\/p>\n