Kennebunk officials tell beachgoers: Put down your phone and watch your kids
A boy walks in the water at Mother’s Beach in Kennebunk in December 2019. (Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer)
Kennebunk officials are warning parents and caregivers to put their phones down when supervising children at the beach after a child briefly went missing.
The child was found safe at Mother’s Beach on Monday afternoon, having wandered into a different area of the beach while their caregiver was distracted, the Kennebunk Fire and Rescue Department said in a statement posted to Facebook.
After the child was safely reunited with their caregiver, fire officials said they saw the adult immediately return their attention to their phone. That prompted a “stern warning” about the seriousness of the situation and the adult’s responsibility.
In the statement, the department described the incident as “very preventable” and reminded all parents and caregivers that it’s crucial to constantly supervise children, especially around bodies of water.
The fire department also said situations like Monday’s are “extremely unfair” to Kennebunk Ocean Guards — the lifeguards — whose job is to protect everyone on the beach.
Related
Scarborough lifeguard who escaped shark encounter: ‘I felt like I had a job to do’
“They are not babysitters and cannot replace parental or caregiver situation,” the statement read.
When a child is left unsupervised, lifeguards’ attentions are diverted from other emergencies, the department said.
“Phones down. Eyes up. Know where your children are at all times,” the statement concluded. “A few seconds of distraction near the water can have lifelong consequences.”
Copy the Story Link
Tagged: maine beaches, ocean safety
Abigail is a community reporter for Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Sanford, and Wells. She recently moved up to Maine from Connecticut after getting her bachelor’s degree in English/Journalism at the University. More by Abigail Driscoll
