NANTUCKET – Nantucket Town Manager Libby Gibson recently gave an update on the town’s readiness regarding shark attacks.
Gibson said that the FY 2020 budget will include funds for anti-theft informational signage for public beaches that will increase public awareness about the possibility of near-shore sharks.
Nantucket’s lifeguards are equipped with radios to contact emergency services and are certified as first responders to assist in an emergency until EMT’s arrive.
Lifeguards are also trained to look for signs of a shark’s presence and how to notify beach goers if a shark is detected.
But Gibson said the town’s lifeguards are not able to prevent shark attacks from happening altogether.
She anticipates wider regional efforts and developments that will help all Cape & Islands understand and better deter sharks from popular swimming areas in the future.
However, Gibson warns that detection technology cannot guarantee that swimmers will be 100% safe and people must judge for themselves when and where they swim.
By: GRADY CULHANE, CapeCod.com News Center
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