Bill Throws Swimmers a Lifeline

State officials thanked lifeguards, both volunteer and paid, who fought for a change to an antiquated law that prevented them from using jet skis in ocean rescue calls.

Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr., I-Montauk, and State Sen. Ken LaValle, R-Port Jefferson, presented framed pen certificates of the law to the lifeguards at an East Hampton Town Board meeting on Tuesday. They also presented a pen certificate to the town board of the law they requested that allows the town to offer employees voluntary separation incentives and spread the cost over 10 years to help save the town money in the midst of its financial crisis.

State Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the bills into law in July 2011.

Thiele said the lifeguard's bill came about through a conversation with John Ryan Sr. "'This is what we need to save lives,'" LaValle said the lifeguards said. "It's a no brainer . . . And hopefully we will save lives."

The bill changed an antiquated law that required lifeguards to use non-motorized boats 16 feet in length or longer. Although they could also use personal watercraft under the old law, Jet Skis could not be substituted for these non-motorized boats during rescues.

Ed Reid, the captain of the East Hampton Town Lifeguards, read a letter from John Ryan Jr., who is head of the lifeguards and couldn't be at the presentation. Ryan wrote that it improves rescue efforts "to give that swimmer in distress a fighting chance."

The East Hampton Town Board had requested help for its long-term financial plan and Thiele sponsored the bill along with LaValle. To avoid mass layoffs, the town board had proposed a voluntary separation incentive program for eligible employees. The legislation permits the town to borrow an undetermined amount of money and pay it back within the decade.

The bills took two tries to pass because it fell in the Democrat-controlled senate a year earlier.