🔴 LIVE: Improving Water Safety at NYC Beaches and Pools

The New York City Council Committee on Parks and Recreation held a hearing on water safety at city beaches and pools on November 13, 2026. The committee discussed lifeguard recruitment and retention, swim instruction, rip-current warnings, access to pools, and proposed legislation: Intro 262 to extend the beach and outdoor pool season, Intro 957 to require rip-current signage, and Intro 1164 to identify city-agency pools suitable for nonprofit swim and water-safety programs. Parks officials reported 1,100 lifeguards in the most recent season, a 79% retention rate, and a starting wage just under $23 per hour. They said extending operating hours would require several hundred additional lifeguards and new funding; beach and pool operations cost about $2.5 million per week. No contract awards or procurement approvals were reported, and the committee took no votes on the legislation during the hearing.