Suffolk County buying more drones to monitor sharks along shoreline
HEMPSTEAD, Long Island (WABC) -- Suffolk County is stepping up efforts to protect beachgoers from sharks. After five possible shark bites in two days, this week, some beachgoers in Suffolk County were hesitant, even staying on the shore.
Officials announced on Thursday that the county will buy two more drones to monitor the shoreline.
"I'm a little on edge about the sharks, but we're not going too deep, so we should be good," said Grace Burns.
11-year-old Grace, from Mastic Beach, is learning how to swim in the ocean, and her mom, Jennifer, is keeping a close eye.
"I am confident that if she stays close to the shore. The sharks have been here for millions and millions of years. We'll be okay," Jennifer said.
Eight people were bit by sharks off Long Island last summer, the most ever recorded in the area in recent history.
Drone video captured a school of 50 sand sharks, swimming off Robert Moses State Park Beach on July 4, delaying swimmers from entering the Atlantic Ocean for an hour and a half.
Further east, at Smith Point Beach in Shirley, lifeguards on Thursday take off in one of two wave-runners, used to monitor for sharks.
"We are doing everything reasonably possible to monitor for help to protect against shark bites," said Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone.
Bellone says a new daily routine of monitoring for sharks includes the typical lifeguards watching from their stands, and also watching from the ocean.
"They kind of saw what happened last summer and we kind of hit the ground running this summer and we have plenty of paddle boards and we've had additional water skis added to the beaches, so that's helped us tremendously," said Chief Suffolk County Lifeguard Keith Kolar.
Suffolk County also brought two new drones that will be used to scan for rip currents and sharks.
"It's a little nerve wracking, but I feel safe because of all of the lifeguards," said Scarlett Perry of Patchogue.
"I think it's crazy, to be honest. Growing up, this is a beach I've always come to, and this never ever happened," added Dawn Perry.
RELATED: Track sharks along Long Island and the Jersey Shore using OCEARCH Shark Tracker
ALSO READ | Boy safe after car stolen in Irvington with 7-year-old inside
----------
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.
