7 responses so far ↓

• 1 samira tennant // Jul 28, 2008 at 8:35 am

  Lifeguards responded, Let me start by saying that my sisters and I where at Coney Island and we told the life guards that 2 kids where drowning they did nothing they stayed there talking and contemplating on what to do. We were so close to them that we heard them joking and talking. All we could do was scream at them, we had our kids so we were not able to get in to help. We had went to the beach at 10:30 in the morning and sat close to the water watching our kids play and on 23rd street at around 5:00pm a park department worker told me that we could not let our kids play on that bay because they had no life guards. So everyone was told to move over to where the life guard was. Then I went and spoke to the 2 male life guards that were there 1 of them told me that they had 3 guards on that bay. 1 was to be on the chair, 1 was to be on the rocks which he was not and himself he was the walker. He also stated that they where short handed. That’s when the 2 female lifeguards came over to talk to the male lifeguards and they were distracted or enjoying they conversation. That’s when the tragedy happened. I feel that we need more lifeguards on these beaches VERY WELL TRAINED lifeguards. They are responsible for the tragedy of little Akira Johnson!!!!! May she rest in peace and my heart goes out to her family.

• 2 j stew // Jul 28, 2008 at 10:05 am

  Excuse me are you a lifeguard?!? are you even close to being trained for this? apparently not. First of all, just like officers of the law and firemen, lifeguards also put their life at risk when going out for a rescue. So if you would like to complain about how they’re doing their jobs, why don’t you sit in their shoes one day, THEN YOU CAN TALK.

• 3 Cynthia // Jul 30, 2008 at 12:06 am

  A drowning is a tragic event. It is easy to point fingers. Lifeguards watch many people, tell many people not to do things and many of the directives are ignored. If a child can’t swim, then the responsible adult of that child should be at the shore with them. Horrible things happen in a matter of seconds and people with children need to know that. Just because there are lifegaurds that does not mean they will be able to save everyone. I was at the beach last week and saw 5 people saved. Those who were saved were lucky. But on the day of the drowning event, were the responsible adults of those children at the shore with them, telling them not to be near the rocks (where the currents are deadly)? It is a horrible thing that happened and I doubt the lifeguards were as casual as portrayed.

• 4 ci // Jul 30, 2008 at 10:54 am

  no one is singling the lifeguards out but …no one should have nothing to say especially if it were not you who were the lifeguard of the day because the most important thing is not that people are talking about the lifeguards , but that this young angel rest in peace baby girl has gone forever, never coming back…but if their is any real truth is that the life guards present at the time actually didnt respond as soon as they were told ,so for them they should be questioned on why the hell they took so long when you guys are supposed to be trained to be READY and GO.
  but as to the family prayers out to you… A Beautiful ANGEL GONE BUT NEVERR FORGOTTEN…….

• 5 Ti // Jul 30, 2008 at 2:58 pm

  No ONE is at fault here. This was a tradegic event that took place. Everyone that lives in Coney Island especially near the beach knows that the waters over here are were rough. That weekend the girl went missing, the waters had the worst currents. I live in the housing apartment near the beach, and have seen the waters at its worst. I would like to say where were their adult supervision, some of the life guards I’ve seen on coney island beach look very young I would never put my child’s life in their hands, period.

• 6 snap // Jul 30, 2008 at 11:32 pm

  The first thing people need to know is that even if you are a strong swimmer, those skills are absolutely useless when caught in a rip current.

  As a former lifeguard, lifelong swimmer and longtime surfer, I have to say NO ONE is to blame here (especially NOT the ‘responsible adult’ to the deceased 10 year old! Jeez!) The most important thing to know about being caught in a rip is “DON’T PANIC” That can be a very tall order because it’s terrifying. But the current will carry a swimmer out a bit and then release them. At that point the swimmer can swim parallel to the shoreline and then back into the beach.

  I’m very sad about this girl. It’s a terrible shame but take head and respect the ocean.

• 7 jeremy // Aug 12, 2008 at 11:08 pm

  i would like all to know it not the lifeguards fault as a nyc lifeguard of coney island and a resident of coney island ive been around these beaches all my life and ive seen alot of these lifeguards in action trust me these guys and girls are welled tyrained but we are not super human we all make mistakes and these lifeguards tht went in for the boy and girl did there job they tryed and got one and one better than none