A New Jersey lifeguard survived a freak accident after being impaled by a beach umbrella at an Asbury Park beach. Reportedly, the umbrella went through her shoulder and out of her back, protruding by a foot.
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According to the New York Post, the incident occurred at around 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 25. While at Asbury Park’s 3rd Avenue Beach, emergency services received a report of a female lifeguard being impaled by a beach umbrella.
Upon arrival, first responders stumbled upon the nightmarish scenario. Asbury Park Fire Chief Kevin Keddy told The Post that the umbrella had entered underneath her left shoulder and exited “out the back.” He added that the umbrella was “protruding by about a foot.
Asbury Park beach safety supervisor John Bongiovanni told the Asbury Park Press that it appeared that a gust of wind had caused the umbrella to be pulled up while the woman was putting it in the sand.
“I am assuming it tilted into the wind and blew it back at her, and it went through the adipose tissue on the lower part of her arm,” Bongiovanni added.
‘A Tough Young Woman’
First responders acted quickly and used a bandsaw to cut off the stake, as per The Post. That way, the female lifeguard could be transported to a local hospital via an ambulance.
“We had to saw off the stake from the front and the back to make it more manageable,” Keddy added. “We bandaged her up and transported her to the hospital.”
While being dropped at a local hospital, the lifeguard was still conscious and, as per Keddy, was in “good spirits.” Given how she managed the freak accident, Keddy told ABC6 that the lifeguard was “a tough young woman.”
Asbury Park Fire Department Battalion Chief Christopher Barkalow seemed to agree with Keddy.
“She actually was way better than most people would be,” Barkalow told ABC7. “She did very well, she just really complained about the heat so I will give her credit, she was tough.”
Reportedly, the female lifeguard is in stable condition. Keddy took the chance to warn beachgoers to make sure that all beach umbrellas are well-secured. Additionally, he advised that, when transporting them, people should carry them from the point down.