Lifeguards are needed at Makena and Pu‘u Keka‘a
Staff writer Dakota
Grossman did an excellent job reporting the affect COVID has had on lifeguarding efforts on Maui
(“COVID-19 takes lifeguard off Makena beach tower,” Sept.
24). Battalion Chief
Jeff Giesea highlighted the challenges ocean safety officials face in the efforts to decrease fatal and nonfatal drowning within our county and state. I would like to share additional information which reinforces the need for lifeguards at Makena and Pu‘u Keka‘a.
Pu‘u Keka‘a has the second highest drowning total in the state, averaging just one drowning short of Hanauma Bay on Oahu. Haunama Bay has over 1 million visitors per year, many more than Pu‘u Keka‘a, which calculates to Pu‘u Keka‘a having the highest rate of drowning in Hawaii. This has been a consistent trend looking back 5- and 10-year intervals. This depressing fact would make Pu‘u Keka‘a the drowning capital of Hawaii based on per capita beach attendance. Recent drowning data shows four in 2019, four in 2018, and 15 the last five years.
Besides drowning, spinal cord injuries (SCI) have a devastating effect on the victim and their families. In 2012, Pu‘u Keka‘a ranked tied for seventh place in the state of Hawaii. By 2016, the ranking climbed to tie for third place. In 2017, Pu‘u Keka‘a took sole possession of third place. During these same time periods, Makena Beach Park had the highest recorded SCI in the state! Pu‘u Keka‘a is a “Leina” where souls depart or leap into the spirit world at death. Other well-known leina are South Point on Hawaii island and Kaena Point on Oahu. Pu‘u Keka‘a is so sacred, traditional Hawaiian blessings will not mitigate the souls that have departed there. However, respecting that location may help resolve or lessen the negative impacts. Kupuna have mentioned respect begins by calling the area by its given name, Pu‘u Keka‘a. Guidebooks, magazines, newspapers, brochures and social media posts can begin to make this important change. Maybe the nightly torch lighting ceremony that ends with a dive from Pu‘u Keka‘a can be modified without a plunge into the ocean? West side kupuna and cultural advisers familiar with the area would know best how to respect and honor Pu‘u Keka‘a.
The United States Lifesaving Association advocates and sets standards for open-water lifeguards. All county lifeguards in Hawaii are affiliated with USLA and meet or exceeds these standards. “USLA believes that in open water, there is a two-minute window of enhanced opportunity for successful recovery and resuscitation of submerged victims.” Health care providers know of the golden hour for trauma victims. This is why EMS providers only treat critical life-threatening injuries on scene and do everything else en route to the hospital. The high number of drowning and spinal cord injuries at Makena and Pu‘u Keka‘a deem it critical for lifeguards to be standing by on scene. Without their “fins” on the “sand,” documented average response times are 19 minutes for Makena by fire personnel.
One of the main duties of lifeguards is prevention and education. Without them, the state relies on safety videos, brochures, signs, PSA’s and websites to help spread effective safety messaging to our unsuspecting island guests.
Officials have tried for decades to get a real safety video on incoming flights to Hawaii without success. Maybe it’s time to make showing an informative safety video state law and mandatory for all airlines!
When state funding was slashed from Makena State Park and lifeguards pulled from the beach, the state opted to install and maintain, at no cost, 17 rescue tubes at the three beaches (Oneloa, Pu‘u Olai, Oneuli) that make up Makena State Park. Rescue tubes have been proven very effective and have an excellent history of saving lives with zero rescuer injury throughout Hawaii. In fact, Gov. Ige signed SB 2087 into law in July 2018 which essentially took liability away from property owners and good Samaritans using a public access rescue tube. Nevertheless, lifeguards are still the gold standard and returning them to Makena and getting a lifeguard tower at Pu‘u Keka‘a should be top priority.