California lifeguards wiped out from extreme weather
Lifeguard captain Pono Barnes said a busy summer weekend usually brings 300 to 500 rescues, underscoring the surge in dangerous surf.
- Last weekend, Los Angeles County lifeguards performed a record 1,950 ocean rescues, with Captain Pono Barnes calling the surge "staggering" compared to typical weekends of 300 to 500.
- Tropical swells generated by Hurricanes Elida, Fausto, and Genevieve off Mexico have slammed the shore for two weeks, creating waves at 1.8m that threaten inexperienced swimmers with dangerous currents.
- Sporting the red trunks made famous on the TV show "Baywatch," Lifeguard Maximus Oberto performed 30 rescues himself during his nonstop shift, calling it "probably the busiest day of my whole career."
- Beyond the coast, the heat wave fueling these surf conditions raises wildfire risks across the American West, with thousands of firefighters battling one million acres burned in Oregon over two weeks.
- California Governor Gavin Newsom has prepositioned firefighters in several counties as a precaution, while climate scientist Daniel Swain warns of "a significant uptick in fire activity" with temperatures reaching 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Lifeguards in California wiped out from extreme weather-related rescues
In California, repeated heat waves have sent Americans running to the beaches to seek relief, but more and more swimmers are finding themselves in troubled waters as strong waves whip the coast and fuel powerful rip currents. Last weekend, lifeguards in Los Angeles County performed a record 1,950 oc
democraticaccent.com
Nearly 2,000 ocean rescues occur as dangerous surf slams popular beaches this summer
A 10-year-old boy was standing in ankle-deep water at a California beach recently when he lost his footing and was pulled into the ocean by powerful surf. Ryder Williams, a 16-year-old California State Parks lifeguard, radioed for help and raced into the water at Seabright State Beach in Santa Cruz during the July 25 emergency, as Fox News Digital previously reported. The lifeguard’s dramatic and widely hailed rescue of the boy — including by Pr…
Viral rescue: Ocean lifeguard specialist Captain Pono Barnes on modern beach risks
A dramatic rescue by a young lifeguard in California went viral on social media. NPR's Scott Simon speaks to Pono Barnes of the L.A. County Fire Department about the dangers lifeguards face.
California lifeguards wiped out from extreme weather
Last weekend, lifeguards in Los Angeles County performed a record 1,950 ocean rescues -- numbers that lifeguard captain Pono Barnes called "staggering." "To kind of put that in perspective, a busy summer weekend is usually in the 300 rescue range, 500 on the high end," Barnes told AFP on Manhattan Beach. Since the start of July, California has been at the mercy of successive searing heat waves, with the mercury sitting at 86-95 degrees Fahrenhei…
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources lean Right
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
