Lifeguards get help from Big Brother

Noaki Schwartz

NEWPORT BEACH -- The City Council on Tuesday night decided to continue

discussion of a plan to install video equipment to help keep tabs on

swimmers at the city’s beaches.

Two Internet companies are in the running for city approval.

Surfline Inc. wants to install the high-tech equipment at the city’s

lifeguard headquarters for free and give the city access to the company’s

two other “surf cams” set up at 56th Street and The Wedge.

In exchange, the council would allow the Huntington Beach-based

company -- which provides information on surf conditions around the world

-- to mount cameras on lifeguard towers and to have a link on the city’s

Internet site.

The other company, Hardcloud, has offered to pay the city up to $7,000

annually for the right to install one video camera in a lifeguard tower.

If cameras were installed, the public could check out surf conditions

before making the trek to Newport’s beaches and the city’s lifeguards

would be able to keep an eye on swimmers.

Lifeguards would have the ability to spot a beachgoer caught in a rip

current and the Coast Guard could use the technology to keep an eye out

for any boats in trouble.

“We have the lifeguard towers staffed during the summer, and the rest

of the year, only some lifeguard towers are staffed,” Deputy Fire Chief

Tom Arnold said. “In the dead of winter, the only way to keep watch is to

drive around.”

City officials said they would not be surprised if some local

residents and surfers expressed concerns that the Internet images might

draw even more inlanders to the city.

While this may be the case, Arnold said Internet surfers will be less

likely to drive to the beach to check out the waves.

“In Surfline’s experience, people can get on the Web and not even have

to get in a car,” Arnold said.

Sean Collins, president of Surfline, added that the public safety

benefits outweigh some local surfers’ concerns that they may have to

share their waves with the world.

“I think it’s a little shortsighted when people are more concerned

about maybe a few extra people in the water when we’ve had 15 drownings

in Orange County this year -- many of which have been in Newport.”

However, 30-year Newport Beach resident Ron Romanosky was not at all

enthused about the proposal.

“The Wedge is already overcrowded,” he said. “As you well know, The

Wedge has no restrooms and people’s yards become urinals.”

Councilman Tod Ridgeway promised that he would protect the interests

of nearby residents, but also downplayed the potential effects the

cameras might have on beach crowds.

“It’s a proximity issue,” Ridgeway said. “People in Africa aren’t

going to drive here to go to the beach.”