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May 28, 2022No Sanitation on Memorial Day
May 28, 2022
New Device Can Help Save Lives
After the death of a 19-year-old lifeguard due to a lightning strike last year, Brick decides to invest in a lightning prediction system.
This summer, a new technology will be introduced to Brick beaches that will alert visitors about the possibility of a lightning strike before the clap of thunder.
Brick officials are in the process of obtaining a lightning prediction system from Thor Guard Inc., a Florida-based company that has been producing them for nearly 50 years.
The death of lifeguard Keith Pinto last year in South Seaside Park prompted Brick officials to make the purchase. Pinto, 19, was killed while on duty on White Sands Beach when he was struck by lightning. According to officials the strike injured another seven people, including three other Berkeley Township lifeguards.
The tragic strike occurred last year amid a mix of clouds and sun, and despite a storm system being stationed well west of Barnegat Bay it was 20 something miles away. The South Seaside Park incident was both a powerful and tragic demonstration of the dangers of lightning when they may not be obvious to even the most keen observers.
The Thor Guard technology, unlike previous systems that detect nearby lightning, forecasts lightning before it occurs, according to business CEO and President Bob Dugan.
He explained, "It reads the buildup and growth of electrostatic charges in the atmosphere."
Thor Guard reads those shifting particles to predict lightning and will sound a siren and flash a strobe light to clear a beach, he said.
The sirens will be installed at Brick Beaches 1 and 3 according to officials. The sirens will be audible at Beach 2 as well, they claimed.
Brick Mayor John G. Ducey stated in an email that the system will cost $45,700 plus a monthly fee for operation and maintenance.
"This method will keep our personnel safe because they will no longer have to risk their lives while signaling guests to leave the beach," he explained. "Because of the lightning, the siren and light system will alert everyone to evacuate the beach. The system continues to function after work hours, ensuring that everyone is safe at all times."
