Thousands of tourists and locals will be out on Central Coast beaches for the Fourth of July, and first responders are beefing up resources to gear up for what’s ahead.
CAL FIRE Pismo Beach Battalion Chief Paul Lee says extra staff will be on patrol through the end of the weekend. Several people will be in the water, which is why he wants people to remember their skill set and to know how good they are at swimming.
“Have good situational awareness,” Lee said. “The ocean changes, it’s a dynamic place full of energy and when things change your skill set can become overwhelming very quickly, so know what’s going on around you and when in doubt go talk to one of the lifeguards and ask.”
Plus, he says it’s wise to swim in front of a lifeguard tower.
Last year, Lee says several water rescues were performed. As the winds died down and the temperatures warmed up, several people flocked to the water to cool down.
“The surf picked up a little bit, boogie boards got taken away from them and the next thing you know we had our lifeguards in the water a lot,” Lee said.
For those who choose to stay out of the water, or just want to get some sunshine, Lee says to stay hydrated and re-apply sunscreen throughout the day.
Plus, the finale to the holiday will be the fireworks display off the end of the Pismo Beach Pier. As a reminder, personal use of fireworks is prohibited in the City of Pismo Beach.
“Our biggest concern is the illegal use of fireworks,” Lee said. “With the grass crop we have this season, use of fireworks is prohibited citywide and we want to make sure that people come down, they see the show, they enjoy the show, but most importantly that it’s being done by professionals.”
