Year-round, thousands of residents and visitors enjoy our pristine beaches and waters on the Leeward Coast. With so many keiki and adults enjoying the ocean, we must provide our lifeguards and emergency responders with the opportunities and equipment to be prepared and respond to emergencies in and out of the water. To ensure our district is prepared in ocean safety— Councilmember Pine is committed to keeping our beaches safe and lifeguards equipped to quickly respond when disaster strikes.
To learn firsthand some of the challenges of water rescues in the surf, Councilmember Pine recently spent a Sunday at Makaha Beach with former-City & County lifeguard and water safety expert Brian Keaulana to gain a glimpse of a typical workday of our ocean rescue crews. Aside from the thrilling experience of practicing jet ski rescues in the Makaha surf, Councilmember Pine also got to talk story with Leeward Ocean Safety crew members to understand the importance of being well-equipped to respond to emergencies that could happen in our waters or on the beach throughout the year.
Councilmember Pine and her staff will be working to appropriate funds to improve Ocean Safety, in the FY 2016 budget. This will include funding for a jet ski team (the Leeward District is the only district with one ski, all others have 2 or more), Water Officer training and a new place to store and stage emergency response equipment.
To share your ideas or budget questions, feel free to contact kmpine@honolulu.gov.
