By DONALD WITTKOWSKI
Sea Isle City’s beach tag inspectors will look a little different when they greet the public starting Memorial Day weekend.
They will be wearing masks to help protect them – and the beachgoers they mingle with – from COVID-19.
“We will ensure that our beach tag inspectors are safe and are wearing the appropriate personal protection equipment they need at all times,” Sea Isle spokeswoman Katherine Custer said in an email Monday. “It is still too soon to say how long the inspectors will be wearing PPE (as it is too soon to say that for any of us). We expect all people to practice social distancing as much as possible in general.”
The masks are among a number of safety-related improvements Sea Isle is making to prepare for the surge of visitors expected during the Memorial Day weekend, the traditional kickoff for the summer tourism season.
Beach tag inspectors traditionally come in close contact with the public, which will present challenges at a time when social distancing is key to preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus.
“They’ll definitely be wearing masks, because they have to get within 6 feet of everyone,” Custer noted.
In addition to wearing masks, all of the inspectors will use hand sanitizer as a safety precaution while interacting with beachgoers.
“They’ll be doing their best to limit their contact and to keep everyone else safe as well,” Custer said. “We are determining the best steps to keep them safe and the customers, too.”
Beachgoers will also notice a difference this summer with Sea Isle’s lifeguards. Traditionally, two members of the beach patrol will sit together on the lifeguard stands.
Starting Memorial Day weekend, however, there will be only one lifeguard per stand to comply with social distancing guidelines. Safety will not be compromised because Sea Isle is doubling the number of stands on each protected beach.
“There will be two lifeguard stands at each protected beach with one guard on each stand to allow for social distancing,” Custer explained.
Sea Isle will have lifeguards protecting five beaches for Memorial Day weekend. As the summer unfolds, more lifeguards are added to protect the full complement of beaches.
The city is already using banners, signs, announcements and social media to get the word out that social distancing requirements are still in effect on the beaches and oceanfront Promenade.
The public address system on the Promenade includes an announcement from Mayor Leonard Desiderio imploring people to stay safe.
“Keeping six feet apart will keep everyone safe, so please practice social distancing,” Desiderio says in a message over the loudspeakers.
Large banners attached to the railing along the Promenade reinforce that message. They include an arrow depicting the safe distance people should remain apart and the words, “This is what 6 feet looks like.”
“Please keep social distance,” the banners also say. “Do your part – stay 6 ft. apart.”
Underscoring the city’s safety theme, Sea Isle police officers are wearing masks while patrolling the Promenade on bicycle.
Ocean City has installed hand sanitizer dispensers along the Boardwalk at the entryways to the beach. Custer said Sea Isle has no plans at this point to place hand sanitizers on the Promenade.
Sea Isle’s parking meters and kiosks are also high-touch areas, literally used by tens of thousands of people throughout the summer season. Hand sanitizing dispensers are not planned for the meters or kiosks, though.
“We do not plan to supply sanitizing stations at the kiosks or on the meters,” Custer said. “We advise everyone to comply with the CDC recommendation to frequently wash hands and use hand sanitizer as they normally would when traveling around.”
