U.S. Beaches Announce 3 Changes to Combat Shark Attacks

The Fourth of July holiday is the unofficial start of the peak summer season for many, and they're planning to celebrate with a trip to the beach. There are many enjoyable ways to beat the heat during the summer months, and a swim is among the best.

Millions of Americans will visit beaches around the country over the next several weeks, and measures are being taken to keep them safe after reported shark attacks.

A woman was bitten by a shark in waist-level water while swimming at Jones Beach in New York's Nassau County. 

In advance of the Fourth of the July weekend, New York governor Kathy Hochul has announced increased safety measures for "sharks and other potentially dangerous marine life."

Hochul said that Long Island's State Park Beaches were "perfect places to get offline, get outside and enjoy the outdoors.”

The new measures include upgraded surveillance capabilities, including adding new drones and drone operators along beaches.

Six drones will be added, bringing the total 28 in operation. Eight pilots are being trained to operate the drones, and when they're certified to do so, there will be a total of 48 operators.

One large enterprise drone will be assigned to Park Police and is equipped with features like thermal imaging, laser range finding, and high-quality cameras. 

Those cameras will help crews scour the beaches in low light and adverse conditions, helping them spot sharks before they pose a danger to the citizens on the beach.

New Yorkers have been advised to avoid areas with schools of fish, swim in groups to avoid being isolated, to avoid murky or unclear water, to stay relatively close to shore and to avoid swimming at dusk, dawn or night.

Mako sharks, basking sharks, and the potentially fearsome great white sharks have been spotted in the water, along with blue sharks, sandbar sharks and thrasher sharks.

The shark that bit the woman in Long Island was a sand tiger shark, and she was treated for non-life threatening lacerations to her left foot and leg.

With the new measures in place at beaches around the state, lifeguards and coastal personnel will look to keep beachgoers safe all summer long.