Shawn Slevin on NY1: What Families Need to Know as Beach Season Opens
Swim Strong Foundation founder and Executive Director Shawn Slevin joined NY1 anchor Rocco Vertuccio on News All Day this week to talk water safety as New York City beaches officially opened for the 2026 season.
It’s a conversation worth having every year — and this year, it’s especially timely. Storm weather greeted the start of beach season, bringing rough surf, high rip current warnings, and a reminder that the water doesn’t follow a calendar.
Watch the full interview on NY1 →
Why storm weather matters at the beach
Heavy surf and storm systems create the conditions that produce rip currents — fast-moving channels of water that pull swimmers away from shore. The stronger the storm, the stronger the pull. And because rip currents are often invisible on the surface, they catch people off guard.
This is exactly the kind of situational knowledge of water that Swim Strong Foundation teaches through our Know Before You Go!® curriculum: understanding what’s happening in the water around you, not just whether you know how to swim.
What every family and caregiver should do before heading to the beach
- Check daily beach conditions and open/closed sections before you leave: nycgovparks.org/facilities/beaches
- Know what the flags mean — a red flag means the section is closed to swimming
- Never swim when lifeguards are not on duty
- Stay out of the water when a rip current warning is in effect
- If caught in a rip current: stay calm, swim parallel to the shore, signal for help — don’t fight the current
Lifeguard season is now open
NYC Parks lifeguards are on duty at all city beaches daily from 10am to 6pm through September 13, 2026. Swimming is prohibited outside those hours and in any area marked with a red flag.
Lifeguards are a critical resource — but the first line of protection is knowing the conditions before you arrive. That’s what Know Before You Go!® is built around, and it’s what Shawn has been teaching New York City families for 20 years.
