Popular NJ Beach May Not Have Enough Lifeguards Due To Trump Cuts, Congressman Fears

HIGHLANDS, NJ ? Congressman Frank Pallone (D-NJ 6) said he is worried there may be "dangerous staffing shortages" ? including lifeguards ? at Sandy Hook this summer due to Trump administration cuts to the National Park Service.

"I am gravely concerned about the ramifications of the Trump administration?s policies on Sandy Hook," wrote the congressman in this letter he sent Monday to Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.

In February, Trump fired about 1,000 newly hired National Park Service employees who maintain and clean parks and do visitor education. But more recently, Trump's proposed 2026 budget, introduced in early June, calls for cutting more than 5,500 employees at the National Park Service, and reducing their budget from just over $3 billion to $2 billion.

Are there indeed staffing and lifeguard shortages at Sandy Hook? The National Park Service did not respond when asked by Patch.

"We don?t know because Trump and Burgum have gagged the Park Service from talking to Congress," a Pallone spokeswoman said Thursday. "From what we have heard through the grapevine, Sandy Hook is suffering the same staffing crisis the rest of the Park Service is. Permanent staff at Gateway has been gutted and seasonal positions haven?t been filled despite Interior?s attempt to re-hire seasonal staff after initially firing them."

Pallone said the Department of Interior is now preventing National Park Service staff from communicating with members of Congress.

"For months, the Department of Interior has been blocking information regarding the consequences of new staffing policies from reaching Congress," Pallone wrote to Burgum. "This unprecedented situation extends to the staff of National Park Service units, who you have forbidden from communicating with Congressional offices without express permission from DOI (Dept. of Interior) headquarters ? approval which never arrives."

"From the limited public information available, it?s clear the cumulative impact of these policies have left Gateway NRA with a skeleton crew," said Pallone this week.

People have drowned at unguarded Sandy Hook beaches in the past. Pallone warned a tragedy could be looming this summer:

"There have been drowning incidents at Sandy Hook when the beaches are not fully staffed. We cannot let this situation repeat itself this summer," he wrote.

In May 2023, a 15-year-old boy drowned and five other people in his group were rescued from the ocean after swimming at an unguarded beach on Sandy Hook. They were swimming between 4 and 5 p.m. on a Sunday at B Beach, which is a non-guarded beach at Sandy Hook.

People swim at Sandy Hook even if there are signs up that state "No lifeguards," said the congressman.

?People will swim," he told NJ.com this week. "They?re not going to not swim because there?s not enough lifeguards."

Boy, 15, Drowns At Sandy Hook, 5 Others Rescued From Ocean (May 29, 2023)

He said he's also worried the park may not have enough maintenance staff, including employees who clean bathrooms during the park's extremely busy summer season.

Pallone said he wants Burgum to answer if the following questions about staffing levels at Sandy Hook/Gateway National Recreation Area by June 30. Burgum did not respond as of Thursday.

1. How many total staff currently work at Gateway NRA compared to this time last year?

2. How many total staff have been assigned to work at the Sandy Hook unit compared to this time last year?

3. How many seasonal employees have been hired at Sandy Hook for the summer season compared to this time last year?

4. How many permanent and seasonal positions are currently unfilled?

5. Which Sandy Hook beaches will be open during the 2025 summer season? What are the dates and hours of each beach?s public access?

6. Which Sandy Hook beaches will have lifeguards this summer? What are the dates and hours that each beach will have a lifeguard? How many total lifeguards will work this year compared to last year?

7. Will there be staff to maintain facilities, including restrooms, at the Sandy Hook unit throughout the summer season?

8. How many staff will be there to collect admission at the entrance to the park compared to this time last year?