Not all state agencies and departments bulk up staffing for the Fourth of July, but when it comes to safety, officials say vigilance is at a premium.
"We know it's a busy weekend," said state Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection spokesman Dennis Schain. "We know the weather looks good; we note the crowds are going to come out, so we're ready."
That includes parking attendants, maintenance personnel, and, at the state's four shoreline beaches and four inland beaches, the full complement of lifeguards. As Connecticut celebrates this Independence Day, all that play means plenty of work.
New Haven Parks & Recreation Director Rebecca Bombero said there will be extra safety staff at Lighthouse Point Park, which is expected to draw 10,000 visitors, but not all the lifeguards will be perched on the sand.
"Eight lifeguards and 10 backup lifeguards will be serving as parking attendants on staff and ready," she said.
They know the numbers forecast on the thermometer mean big numbers at the beach, including an estimated 30,000 rolling into West Haven for the sand and fireworks.
Bill Slater, who runs the Parks & Recreation department in West Haven, said the bulk of additional staffing will be among police, not lifeguards.
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"We may have a couple extra [lifeguards] out there on the beaches," said Slater. "We have nine chairs out there, covering the main beaches with the big lots."
Officials are taking a similar approach at the fire department in Milford, where personnel have beaches, booze and bottle rockets to think about – along with the problems their combination can bring.
"If it stays dry, possibly some brushfires, grass fires, and so forth," are among the situations Capt. Greg Carman recalls from Independence Days past. Nevertheless, Carman said his department's staffing is actually routine.
"Everything here has always been at least 25 people per shift, that's day and night," he said.
But, he acknowledged, plenty more are ready on call. And, with so many drawn to the shores of the nation we celebrate, these responders can reach an emergency by land or by sea.
"Our fire boat, our trailer boat and all our rafts – checked them," said Carman. "Our dive team has been checking all their equipment to make sure everything is ready to go, just in case something does happen."
