By MADDY VITALE
Ocean City Beach Patrol lifeguards are in the lifeguard stands and in the water every day by 10 a.m.
But on Saturday, at 9:28 a.m., they had to kick it into high gear to make nine saves. A family of four, whose identities and hometown were not released by authorities, was walking along the jetty rocks at Ninth Street when they fell in.
Five good Samaritans rushed to the jetty to try and help the parents and their two children, ages 9 and 12. Then, the rescuers needed to be saved, officials explained.
“Everyone knew we weren’t on duty yet, so the fire department and police got dispatched. The police also sent up a drone. Our jet ski rushed there from First Street,” Ocean City Beach Patrol Director Allan Karas said in an interview Saturday.
Karas said that the initial call came in for three victims who fell off the rocks at Ninth Street. It increased to four victims and then quickly escalated to nine, he said.
“Five good Samaritans went in and also got into trouble,” he said. “Two victims were put onto the jet ski sled and the remaining seven were pulled in by the other lifeguards.”
He said that two of the victims received medical treatment from the Ocean City Beach Patrol’s EMS division.
The other seven victims did not need medical treatment, Karas said.
Karas emphasized the importance of swimming when a lifeguard is on duty and also to avoid doing anything that could prove treacherous, such as walking along a slippery jetty.
“There were strong rip current warnings today,” he said of the dangers.
He said Saturday was particularly busy with rescues.
“This is the first day of multiple rescues since the start of the season,” he said.
Even after the nine rescues, he said there were many more.
“There have probably been 25 additional rescues so far,” Karas said just shortly before the end of the lifeguard shift in the evening. “The water is cold and everyone who is in the water is getting in trouble. It’s been busy all over the island.”
He added that he believed the good Samaritans included some of the employees for beach chair and umbrella sales, who have their merchandise at the beach ends. He also said he thought a few surfers also assisted.
Karas said that Saturday’s successful rescues were another example of how the city’s emergency services and Beach Patrol work well together.
“It is a great example of three public safety agencies serving Ocean City and working well together,” he said.
