VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The holiday weekend is expected to bring large crowds to the Virginia Beach Oceanfront, but officials say dangerous heat and dry conditions will make safety a top priority.
Lifeguards are preparing for an increase in heat-related emergencies as heat index values are forecast to climb to around 110 degrees over the coming days.
"We're anticipating the heat index being around 110 each day," said 1st Lt. Zach Mager with Virginia Beach Lifeguard Services. "Heat exhaustion is obviously going to be a major issue, so we're going to be on the lookout for people who are overheating. The best advice we can give is to take breaks, drink plenty of water, cool off and avoid staying out on the sand and in direct sunlight for too long."
Officials are also reminding visitors to pay attention to lifeguard staffing hours.
A limited patrol begins at 7:30 a.m., but lifeguards do not take their positions in the stands until 9:30 a.m. Every stand is staffed from 9:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. After that, staffing is reduced by about half until patrols end at 8 p.m.
"We have a bare-bones crew patrolling starting at 7:30," Mager said. "Lifeguards will not be in the stands until 9:30. From that point, there will be a lifeguard in every single stand until 6, and then we'll drop down to about half staff until 8 p.m."
Despite the forecast, many visitors say they're still looking forward to spending time at the beach.
"I love it. It's beautiful," said Monique Bass, who was visiting Virginia Beach with her family.
"We have a nice breeze. It's beautiful."
"I actually just came down with the family just to enjoy the beach."
Away from the Oceanfront, the Virginia Beach Fire Department is also warning residents about an elevated fire risk because of dry conditions.
Officials say fireworks, cigarettes, grills and even vehicles parked on dry grass can quickly ignite fires. Fireworks remain illegal in Virginia Beach, and fire officials encourage residents to keep water nearby while grilling, properly dispose of smoking materials and call 911 immediately if they see smoke or flames.
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