By Geoff Page
I am writing this today to express my extreme frustration with the lack of care or effort on the part of the Ocean Beach lifeguards when notified of a dangerous condition on the beach. The right rear skid of Tower 3 is bent into an upright position, sticking out of the sand like a knife blade where lots of people might encounter it.
Saturday morning, May 24, I sent an email and a picture of the condition to the lifeguard website. Because I was concerned the problem would not get attention quickly enough I called the weekend number. I knew the beach would be very crowded with families and children. I was dispatched through to the OB lifeguards.
I spoke with a woman sergeant who informed me that the machine that pushes the tower into place bent it. How it happened did not matter. She then said she would notify their facilities people. I said it needed immediate attention, something as simple as a traffic cone or a barricade. She said they would look at it to see about blocking it off.
This morning, I checked. There was a line of traffic cones on the sand delineating the road the lifeguards reserve for their quads. There was nothing on that piece of metal. No cone. Nothing.
Over my years in OB, I have had a few occasions to notify the lifeguards of something. I never get an attitude of concern, ever. What I get is boredom and we’ll put it on a list. That this jagged piece of metal went unprotected all weekend is a demonstration of that attitude. The lack of concern is absolutely appalling.
I sent the information about this dangerous condition to the lifeguards Saturday.
I called Saturday.
I went to the guard Tower yesterday.
I sent all this information yesterday to the lifeguards, Campbell’s office, the mayor’s office, and the city’s Risk Management office..
I went by Tower 3 today and absolutely nothing was done to deal with the danger, despite traffic cones 15 feet away to delineate the road for the lifeguard quads.
What does it take to get any action, or see any concern for the public, from any of the city employees that my tax dollars are paying?
If I had the power, I would fire everyone I’ve told who has not lifted a finger.
Dear Mr. Page,
My son is a caring OB Lifeguard, and while he was off duty this last week due to injury, your comments, “I have had a few occasions to notify the lifeguards of something. I never get an attitude of concern, ever. What I get is boredom and we’ll put it on a list. That this jagged piece of metal went unprotected all weekend is a demonstration of that attitude. The lack of concern is absolutely appalling.”, make me appalled at you. These lifeguards put their lives on the line on a daily basis, to save beach and ocean goers, could be you some day. To purport them as having an uncaring attitude is far from the truth. I really hope you recant your comments. And I will notify my son of your concern.
I stand by my experiences.
It always amazes me that someone like you will speak up, defending by example – in this case your son – that not every lifeguard is like this. Of course not and that is irrelevant, it does not negate any of this.
I went by Tower 3 this evening and can report that the skid has been fixed, it now lays flat, a danger to no one.