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IMPORTANT NOTICE: Funding
for life guards at Makena State Park has been approved by the legislature
to take effect July 1, 2007. The legislation reads as follows: SECTION
98. Provided that of the general fund appropriation for parks administration
and operations (LNR 806), the sum of $606,534 or so much thereof as may
be necessary for fiscal year 2007-2008 and the same sum or so much thereof
as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008-2009 shall be expended by the
department of land and natural resources for the purpose of salary, fringe
benefits, overtime compensation, and training for county lifeguard services
for the islands of Maui and Kauai; provided further that of the above sums,
the sum of $406,469 shall be recurring, set aside for the sole purpose
of lifeguard compensation, fringe benefits, and training for the county
of Maui, provided further that of the above sums, the sum of $200,065 shall
be recurring, set aside for the sole purpose of lifeguard compensation,
fringe benefits, and training for the county of Kauai; and provided further
that any unexpended funds shall lapse to the general fund.
Efforts have been underway for over three years to get lifeguards at Makena State Park. Effective July 1, 2007 money was appropriated and earmarked for this purpose. The county was prepared to provide this service having done so in the nineties. Lifeguards were willing to work overtime in order to provide this service until additional staff could be trained and brought on line.
The impediment to the process of obtaining lifeguards is discussed in Dr. Leisure's letter to Governor Linda Lingle of July 30, 2007. Link.
The back and neck compression injuries described below should not be taken lightly. In some cases the paralysis is temporary and the body recovers within a few minutes. In other situations the paralysis is permanent and the individual is confined to a wheel chair for the rest of his/her life.
These accidents are preventable. A pattern is evolving. Tourist unfamiliar with the concept of "shore break" bear the majority of damage. There is a way to work the waves at Makena State Park that the local's know. It is an aggressive style and very different than what a novice will try and do on a body board. The novice is wrenched of the board and hammered into the sand below. Neck and spine damage results.
Lifeguards through training and instinct can tell the tourist from the local and offer warnings.
Need help in seeking damages from your injury at Makena State Park? Contact Dr. Leisure and he can provide you with the name of a local attorney with lots of experience suing the State of Hawaii and others over beach injuries. Or search "Aquatic injuries litigation Hawaii" on the Internet and you will find firms that specialize in the area, here is but one example: "The firm has litigated respecting spinal and other serious injuries resulting from failing to warn about or negligence concerning dangerous ocean surf conditions." Imagine the situation when the State acknowledges in court that funds were available to provide life guards and choose not to make them available!
Dr. Leisure is preparing another letter to Governor Lingle and the Board of the Department of Land and Natural Resources regarding this area of most serious concern. Link will be here when it becomes available.
Message Board The place to post your views on the lifeguard issue.
Some of the events that I am familiar with are listed below. Keep
in mind many more occur that I am not present at or advised. People on
the scene often tell me of other incidents that they have seen which go
unreported.
March 28, 2008 4:30
fire rescue respond to "person on the rocks Makena" find middle age male
dislocated knee in surf pulled out by people on beach. Man who called it
in did not know correct place name and had bad cell phone connection. Injured
man left before the arrival of fire rescue. (Life guards could have handled
if present)
March 12, 2008 11 am
78 year old male broken ankle. Big Beach 1
February 26, 2008 11:30
am 27 year old female neck compression Big Beach 1
February 24, 2008
11 am drowning at Little Beach, 59 year Dan Rawlins caught in rip current.
For more information on Dan hit this link.
February
23, 2008 4:00 pm Little Beach 9 year old female neck compression injury
collision with body surfing adult male (Ed Note: Girl back on beach next
day appeared to be functioning 100%)
February 11, 2008 3:35
pm 53 year old male back compression
January 13, 2008
is the four year anniversary of the 2004 drowning of Richard McKeon Young.
Richard's death prompted Dr. Leisure and others to make a concerted effort
to bring lifeguards to Makena State Park. Funding for that purpose was
approved and has been available since July 1, 2007. Recent talks with county
and state officials suggest that we are no closer to having lifeguards
than we were in 2004. There have been other deaths and numerous injuries
many of which could have been prevented by the presence of lifeguards.
See this link for the names of state
officials if you wish to write a letter in support of lifeguards at Makena.
November 16, 2007
4:30 twenty plus year old male broken arm.
November 9, 2007
2:30 61 year old female neck compression BBII area.
October28, 2007
11:00 am 60 year old male dislocated ankle BB II area
September 23, 2007 2:00
pm 27 year old male concussion neck compression Big Beach 1 area
September 20, 2007 10:00
am 71 year old female dislocated hip Big Beach 1 area.
September 1, 2007 3:00
pm 57 year old female with knee dislocation Big Beach 1 area.
July 29, 2007 11:45
am 71 year old male neck compression Big Beach I
July 29, 2007 11:30
am 31 year old female shoulder compression Big Beach I
July 28, 2007 11:45 am
28 year old male possible broken ankle in Big Beach I . Funding
for Lifeguards available July 1, 2007! Where are they?
July 26, 2007 11:30
am 26 year old female tumbled in surf broken ribs. Big Beach II area.
July 21, 2007 1:00 pm
15 year old male broken collar bone. Big Beach II area. Riding boogie board.
Twenty-one
days since funding available and still no lifeguards!
July 17, 2007 3:30 47
year old male back compression knocked off board. Big Beach 1.
July 16, 2007
11:30 22 year old female dislocated shoulder, tourist boarding Big
Beach
July
12, 2007 3:30 pm 62 year old male broken ankle Little Beach
July 6,2007 2:36 pm
56 year old male neck and back compression, aspirated sea water Big Beach
1
July 6, 2007 12:30
28 year old male dislocated shoulder at Big Beach 1.
July 4, 2007
Jerry Orban saves two males and one female at Little Beach. He is smiling
because he had new fins. Thanks Jerry! (Editors Note: Most saves like these
go unreported, I hope to gather more information on these occurrences and
report them here. )
July 4, 2007 3:30
pm 25 year old male dislocated shoulder. Big Beach 1
July 4, 2007 3 pm 8
year old female. Possible neck compression. Big Beach 2.
July 2, 2007, 3:00 pm,
48 year old male tumbled on boogie board. Neck and back compression. Tourist
not knowledgeable about dangerous shore break.
June 29, 2007 41 year
old female possible neck compression Big Beach about 10:45 am.
June 22, 2007 47
year old female leg sprain surf LB.
June16, 2007 about
1:15. 47 year old male, near drowning took in sea water attempting
to assist son, Big Beach Note use of four wheel all terrain vehicle.
June 16, 2007 48
year old male, neck compression injury surf Big Beach about 12:30
May 26, 2007 9:34 am
40 year old male neck injury in surf Big Beach 1 area.
May 25, 2007 2:20 pm 50
year old female takes tumble in surf Big Beach I area. Possible neck injury.
Fire and Ambulance respond.
May 22, 2007 2:30pm
34 year old male knee torn up in surf. Big Beach 1 area.
May 22, 2007 1
pm 53 year old female ankle sprain possible break Big Beach 1 area of Big
Beach.
May 19, 2007 3:52
pm 32 year old female with shoulder possible neck injury at Big Beach 1
area.
May 5, 2007 1:44 PM
Fifty-six year old female. Dislocated knee in surf Note photograph shows
the emergency crews working in traffic lane rather than in emergency access
lane taken up by vendor. Lane also functions as the handicapped access
lane when not blocked by vendor.
May 5, 2007 11:14
AM Twenty-nine year old male. Legs folded back in surf body boarding accident.
Big Beach 1 area.
April 22,
2007 11 AM Twenty-one year old male. Broken femur done in the surf body
boarding. Big Beach 1 area. Heavy surf.
April 22, 2007
8:30 AM seventy-four year old male. Broken ankle.
April 21,
2007 Saturday 12:33 PM Forty year old female breaks ankle in surf Big Beach
1.
April 15, 2007
Sunday 11 AM Sixty-seven year old male apparently fell face down on lava
rock in Black Sand Beach. Serious abrasions to face. Had to walk out to
highway because roadway closed since October 15, 2006 for no discernible
reason. Found in dazed condition on the highway by tourist who offered
assistance.
April 13,
2007 Friday 11:15 AM Forty three year old male compression fracture to
neck. Surf Big Beach one.
April 7, 2007
Saturday 4:30 PM Seventy plus female possible broken leg caught by wave
Big Beach two entrance.
.
The first response for assistance comes from fellow beach users.
Calls for assistance to DLNR are relayed to 911. A call to 911 will result
in the dispatching of fire rescue, ambulance and police. DLNR will also
respond if they hear the dispatching of the others. A ride to the hospital
by ambulance is $500 plus depending on services provided.
Life Guards would do far more good in responding to public safety concerns
at Makena State Park than arbitrarily changing park hours. In 2005
the entire legislature was in support of having life guards at Makena State
Park yet in 2006 they are still not present and no effort has been made
by state park officials to bring that about. Other issues: Handicapped
facilities required by ADA are either totally lacking or in such a state
of repair that they are unusable. A lunch wagon vendor is parked between
the handicapped parking of Big Beach 1 lot and the entrance to the beach
walkway. There is no handicapped toilet within the park at any location.
(This changed in mid August with a handicapped toilet being installed at
Big Beach I parking lot after being missing for six years. Handicapped
toilets still do not exist at any other location in the park.)
Contacts: Stewards of Makena
Friends of Makena State Park was formally formed in 2003 to assist the Hawai'i Department of Land and Natural Resources in the stewardship of Makena State Park.
Membership is open to anyone interested in the stewardship of the unique natural resource that constitutes Makena State Park situated on the island of Maui in the Hawai 'i Islands. The world famous nude beach known as Little Beach is contiguous to Makena State Park.
To declare your membership and to receive the electronic newsletter
of
Dr. Leisure's Friends of Makena State Park click this link: LittleBeachMaui-subscribe@topica.com
and send a blank email.
Consider a contribution to Doctor Leisure if you want to help defray
the cost of this site and the efforts to obtain lifeguards. Enter the amount
you wish to contribute. I would rather see a lot of small donation $25
or less. If you want to send more sizable please make check payable to
Church and School of International Detente and submit to PO Box 1137, Kihei,
HI 96753-1137 The Church is tax exempt under State and Federal law. Aloha
for your support.
Dr. Leisure's Friends of Makena State Park
PO Box 1137
Kihei, HI 96753
808-250-4160
--Dr. George R. Harker can be reached by email at drleisure1@aol.com.
Article
may be reproduced with appropriate credit: drleisure.com
Copyright 2008, Dr. Leisure
©Copyright
2008 Dr. Leisure. All rights reserved.
