Janet Fash, the first woman to lead New York City's lifeguards, is urging city officials to enhance beach safety protocols, asserting that the city has inadequately implemented a law designed to prevent drownings.
Fash, who spent 40 years patrolling Rockaway Beach, argues that the city's Parks Department has not correctly interpreted a local ordinance requiring one lifeguard for every 50 yards of beachfront open for swimming. She claims the city has instead concentrated lifeguards in specific areas, leading to understaffed beaches and increased risks for swimmers.
"New York City has really done a poor job of interpreting that law," Fash stated in a recent interview. "They’ll put the lifeguards even on rock jetties, on a chair, while the next [section over, involving] 10 beaches, [is] closed, creating drowning opportunities."
According to data, eight people drowned at city beaches in 2024, marking the highest number of fatalities in five years. Fash believes this increase is partly due to the city's lifeguard deployment strategy, which she contends leaves stretches of beach unsupervised. She noted instances where multiple lifeguards were stationed at a single point, while other substantial sections remained without any coverage.
Fash's career, which began in 1979, included experiences where she felt her assigned sections were understaffed, putting her lifeguards "under duress." She also detailed in her memoir, "Lifeguard: A Love Story," the challenges of advocating for better practices within the system, including issues of alleged sexual harassment and abuse, and the departure of lifeguards due to internal politics. She mentioned conflicts with former chief city lifeguard Peter Stein, who retired in 2025 as a disciplinary trial was set to begin.
Fash advocates for spreading lifeguards out to cover more areas and opening additional beaches to ensure compliance with the 50-yard rule. This approach, she argues, would reduce the likelihood of beachgoers seeking unsupervised areas.
She also shared safety tips for beachgoers, advising them to inquire about water conditions from lifeguards, be aware of tide changes, and always swim at protected beaches. For those who are not strong swimmers, she cautioned against attempting rescues and recommended floating on their backs if caught in a strong current. Fash also stressed the importance of hydration and suggested bringing water instead of alcohol to the beach.