UPDATE SURF RESCUE FEMALE ADULT GOOD RESPONSE FROM CPR BEING TAKEN TO HOSPITAL CRITICAL CONDITION pic.twitter.com/k3iWycgLfb
— San Francisco Fire (@sffdpio) August 17, 2016
A 64-year-old San Francisco woman was pronounced dead Wednesday evening, following efforts to rescue her from the waters of Ocean Beach. But even though this is the second death there this week, officials say that the beach will not be getting lifeguards, as their presence might inadvertently cause even more dangerous situations.
According to San Francisco Fire Department spokesperson Jonathan Baxter, a passerby called 911 at 10:47 a.m. Wednesday after seeing a woman in the waves about 20 feet from the shores near Lincoln Way.
The woman has since been identified by the San Francisco Medical Examiner's office as SF resident Kam Moy.
Crews with the National Park Service and the SFFD pulled Moy, who was fully dressed, to shore. Once on the beach, they performed CPR, during which they were able to revive her, according to a tweet from the SFFD.
By 11:20, an ambulance was rushing Moy to the UCSF Medical Center in critical condition. According to the ME's office, she died at the hospital later that day.
Moy's death comes just days after a similar rescue and subsequent death at Ocean Beach: On Sunday evening, 29-year-old Jason Zumbo was pulled from the waters near Rivera Street, and was pronounced dead a little after 6:30 p.m.
Zumbo's death had already revived a local politician's call for stricter safety precautions at the National Park Service-overseen shoreline, a call that was first raised in April, following the death of two wading teens.
Speaking with CBS 5 Tuesday, Supervisor Eric Mar said that Ocean Beach continues to need "clearer signs and new ways to educate beach goers on risks of swimming" in the area.
One thing that visitors can't expect are lifeguards, as Golden Gate National Recreation Association spokesperson Nathan Sargent tells CBS 5 that “The presence and appearance of a lifeguard might just give the implication and the notion that this is a swimming beach.”, causing even more people to put themselves at risk.
“We consider Ocean Beach a knee-deep beach," Sargent says, "so come, stroll, wade in the water. But the rip currents make it just too treacherous for especially inexperienced swimmers.”
And besides says Sargent, the beach already has lifeguards — they just don't call them that.
“Our Beach Patrol are lifeguards, they are talented, they are brave. They do these rescues. We just refer to them as beach patrol rangers.”
Previously: SF Man Dies While Surfing At Ocean Beach