News 12 Staff

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May 26, 2023, 6:32 AM

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Updated

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For some, Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of summer and New York City is happy to play along.

Starting May 27, New York City beaches are officially opening for the season.

As is tradition, Saturday of Memorial Day weekend marks the first day that lifeguards will be on duty from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and the city officially allows swimming at its eight public beaches.

MORE: Ready to make a splash this summer? Here are 10 water safety tips

The announcement comes just as the parks department said they've only been able to hire about a third of the lifeguards they need for the season. That issue can get worse next month when city pools open.

The city's parks department released a few tips to make sure swimmers stay safe including:

• Only swim when a lifeguard is on duty

• Never leave children alone

• If caught in a rip current, swim paroral to the shore and with the current, not against it

• Stay hydrated

• Use sunblock