A female lifeguard suffered a severe injury after being impaled by a beach umbrella at Asbury Park, Jersey Shore. The incident occurred around 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday when the approximately six-foot-long umbrella punctured her body, entering under her left shoulder and exiting from her back, protruding nearly a foot. Fire Chief Kevin Keddy noted that other lifeguards and emergency medical services swiftly responded to the alarming situation. To safely transport her, responders had to use a bandsaw to cut the umbrella into smaller pieces.
Remarkably, the victim remained conscious and alert during the ordeal and was in relatively good spirits when she was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune. Chief Keddy stated that the circumstances leading to the incident are still being investigated, with theories suggesting that she may have been attempting to retrieve a wind-blown umbrella when she fell onto the stake.
Injuries and fatalities linked to beach umbrellas are regrettably not uncommon. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that around 3,000 injuries from beach umbrellas occur annually. Past incidents include the tragic death of a woman in South Carolina last year and another fatality in Virginia Beach in 2016, both caused by similar accidents where umbrellas detached and struck individuals.
This incident serves as a reminder to beachgoers to securely anchor their umbrellas to prevent such dangerous situations. The fact that the lifeguard remains responsive and stable is a hopeful note amidst the unfortunate event. It highlights the importance of safety measures in beach environments, especially during windy conditions.