Sea Isle City Mayor Leonard Desiderio
Occasionally, we encounter some people without giving them a second thought – or recognizing their importance.
This occurrence likely happens every day during the summer season, when thousands of folks enjoy Sea Isle City’s shoreline while our lifeguards wait patiently at the water’s edge to offer help. Sometimes that help comes in the form of sharing useful information about our beaches, warning people about riptides, or performing ocean rescues.
Last week, I had the pleasure of touring our beaches with Sea Isle City Beach Patrol Chief Renny Steele, who also invited me to watch some of our lifeguards perform rescue drills. If you haven’t seen lifeguards in action (be it practicing lifesaving techniques or physically saving a swimmer in distress), I can tell you that it is an awesome sight to behold!
Being an effective lifeguard requires a combination of skills and dedication that is truly impressive, and seeing the members of our beach patrol practicing for emergencies reminded me how wonderful our lifeguards are (some of whom belong to families that have given us multiple generations of SICBP members).
In addition to working very hard to ensure that we are all safe when we enter the water, don’t forget that our lifeguards are also there when we need them on the sand, including when parents require help finding a lost child or when a beachgoer has a medical emergency.
Unfortunately, the latter occurred earlier this month, when a woman in cardiac arrest was in dire need of medical attention while enjoying one of our beaches. When that happened, our lifeguards quickly took control of the situation by administering CPR and utilizing a defibrillator (which, I am told, saved the patient’s life).
I can’t tell you how proud I am of our local lifeguards – including those who responded rapidly and professionally to offer lifesaving assistance to that beachgoer.
My thanks and congratulations go to the following guards for their quick action during last week’s medical emergency: Rookie Guard Avery Lasky, who was first on the scene and immediately started CPR; Senior Guard Grace Gehman, who arrived a moment later and assisted Avery; and SICBP EMT’s Eric Greensmith (a retired medical doctor), Matt Pytel, Danny Rogers, Tim Quinn and Dan Stearne, who also responded quickly, helped revive the patient with an AED, and had her speaking by the time she was taken to the hospital in an ambulance. Thank you all!
With August winding down and Labor Day just around the corner, I remind everyone that the good times in Sea Isle City don’t end just because the summer does – and that September is a terrific month to be here.
In addition to smaller crowds on the beach and beautiful autumn sunsets, fall is also a perfect time to visit our local eateries and discover bargains at local shops and boutiques. Moreover, we have many community events coming your way during the weeks ahead – including our new Decorated Golf Cart Parade on Sunday afternoon, September 7, which promises to be a lot of fun.
I invite everyone with a low-speed vehicle to participate in this new event (and possibly win a prize for being our “Funniest” entry or driving the cart that shows “The Most Sea Isle City Spirit”). To learn more about the Golf Cart Parade, please phone the Recreation Office at 609-263-0050.
For information about other events, such as our annual Fall Family Festival on September 13 & 14, go to www.VisitSICNJ.com, stop by the Welcome Center, or phone Sea Isle City’s Tourism Office at 609-263-8687.
Since this is the final E-Newsletter before Labor Day arrives, this week’s “Shout Out” goes to the many people who make certain that our summers are safe and enjoyable, including the members of Sea Isle City’s Police Department, Fire Department, Emergency Medical Services, Beach Patrol, Beach Tag Office, Department of Public Works & Water-Sewer, our Department of Community Services (which includes Public Relations, Recreation and Tourism) and everyone at City Hall.
This Shout Out also extends to the many volunteers, who constantly show their devotion to our town by hosting events and activities, including our wonderful Beachcomber Tour Guides, Mary Shields and the other volunteers who make our Shooting Stars Basketball Clinics a reality, the good folks who donate their time at the Sea Isle City Historical Museum, our friends at the Chamber of Commerce, who organize Sea Isle’s weekly Farmer’s Market and Open Mic Nights for teens, Susan and Steve Ahern of Sea Isle Terrapin Rescue, who save countless turtles each summer, Doug and Sue Williamson, who take the helm at Sea Isle’s Monday Night Softball Games, and, of course, the veterans and auxiliary members at VFW Post 1963, who make a positive impact on our community twelve months a year.
It obviously takes a great deal of planning and dedication to ensure that everyone has a successful summer – and each year these individuals prove that “teamwork makes the dream work!”
Smile … You’re in Sea Isle!
Mayor Leonard C. Desiderio
