Weiner pours 30M into lifeguard fund
August 11, 2008
Rep. Anthony Weiner announced new funding to hire lifeguards on Tuesday on the same Queens beach where searchers found a 22-year-old swimmer’s body this week.
“It’s been a very troubling summer all along the East Coast [with drownings],” said Weiner at Jacob Riis Park in the Rockaways. “With this money we can staff another 15 lifeguards on the beach here.”
A helicopter spotted Devon Flanders’ body in the water near Beach 169th St. Monday.
The Brooklyn construction worker and father of an 18-month-old daughter disappeared offshore Friday.
Weiner, a mayoral hopeful, said he secured $3 million a year for the next 10 years to help the National Park Service hire more staff.
Seven swimmers went missing or drowned at area beaches last weekend.
Ten-year-old Akira Johnson, who disappeared in the surf off Coney Island on Saturday, still hasn’t been found.
BY ERIN EINHORN and BRENDAN BROSH
Entry Filed under: Dive In, Get Wet, Queens. Tags: National Park service, NYC lifeguard, NYC Parks, Rockaway Beach.
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