The summer of 2023 started like a repeat of the summer of 2022 at Long Island beaches, as two swimmers were bitten by sharks over the Fourth of July weekend. However, Nassau County Executive Bill Blakeman says rip currents pose a much greater threat to beachgoer safety than shark attacks. He appeared on 710 WOR’s Len Berman and Michael Riedel in the Morning program to discuss safety tips Nassau officials are promoting at county beaches, as well as some other summer entertainment tips in Nassau County.
“Just this year we’re almost at 70 deaths from rip currents, and the summer really hasn’t begun,” Blakeman told Riedel and Jesse Weber, who is sitting in for Berman. “We put up signs all over our beaches, telling people… don’t fight it. Swim parallel or float parallel to the beach, and eventually the rip current will subside and you can get in safely. [Also] swim in protected areas. That’s your best guarantee that you’ll be safe. Make sure there’s a lifeguard on the beach.”
Blakeman also discussed how congestion pricing will actually be a good thing for Nassau County. “I think congestion pricing is something that is going to actually minimize business in Manhattan at a time after coronavirus when they really need to get the business back. The only good thing about it from my standpoint is, a lot of people are saying, ‘Why do we need to go into Manhattan?’ Nassau County has fine dining, they have some of the best shopping in the world, they’ve got amazing beaches, and we have a health-care network that’s world class.”
Blakeman also plugged a free series of summer concerts at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow, featuring the R&B group Boyz II Men on Saturday, July 8th. “8pm, we’re going to have Boyz II Men. People are very, very excited about it. Last year, we set a record with Joan Jett at the theater of 27,000. I’m told that we will beat that record, so if the weather’s nice, we could have over 30,00 people.”
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