East Hampton Town's Junior and Nipper Lifeguard programs for kids will begin belatedly this week with reduced capacity and new safety protocols in place.
This year, the popular programs will be scaled down and offered only to children who have been enrolled in previous years. The Junior Lifeguard program is for ages 9 to 15 and will take place at Atlantic Avenue and Indian Wells Beaches in Amagansett from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Starting this weekend, on Saturdays and Sundays, 9-year-olds will be trained at Indian Wells, 10-year-olds at Atlantic Avenue. On Mondays and Wednesdays 11-year-olds will be at Indian Wells and 12-year-olds at Atlantic Avenue. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, it will be 13-year-olds at Indian Wells and 14 and 15-year-olds at Atlantic Avenue.
The Nipper Guards program is for kids 7 to 8 and will be offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays, also from 9 to 10:30 a.m., at Big Albert's Landing Beach in Amagansett.
The programs run through the week of Aug. 9.
The cost of each is $90, payable by check on the first day. Registration forms, which must be completed by Friday, can be found in the recreation section of the East Hampton Town website at ehamptonny.gov.
Children must be signed in by a parent or guardian the first day. They will be required to wear masks when entering and exiting the program and "during any close-proximity instructional time." Trainees will be required to use hand sanitizer before and after the program at stations provided on the beach. They and their parents are required to practice social distancing and to keep their belongings at least six feet from those of others. Only two spectators will be allowed for each participant.