Long Island lifeguard returns to work 11 days after shark attack
SHIRLEY, N.Y. -- Following a series of shark attacks, Suffolk County is strengthening safety in the water.
Some county beaches, including Robert Moses State Park, were closed Thursday morning because of the incidents. An afternoon shark sighting shut down Tobay Beach. No injuries were reported.
Lifeguard Zach Gallo returned to the job he loves at Smith Point Beach on Thursday, just 11 days after he was attacked by a shark, CBS2's Jennifer McLogan reported.
"Just so happy to be back. My fellow guards and I were yelling at the water, 'Who's ready round two?'" Gallo said.
Gallo suffered injuries to his hand and chest during a lifeguard training drill.
"Ten, 15 seconds where I was terrified, and I swam to shore as quickly as possible," Gallo said.
There have been an unprecedented amount of shark sightings in the past two months on Long Island, including four shark attacks in two weeks. Experts say it's due to the clean water habitat and bait fish luring sharks close to shore.
Surfer Shawn Donnelly suffered wounds to his lower leg when a shark bit him off Smith Point.
"It hit me and it knocked me just off my board, because it was behind me and threw me to the right. I saw it when I turned over. I saw the dorsal fin, I saw it's bite and I was like oh, this is a shark," Donnelly said.
Donnelly was on his favorite surfboard waiting for a wave Wednesday morning at Smith Point Beach when a 5-foot sand tiger shark surrounded him.
Adrenaline kicked in when Donnelly saw his bloody calf.
"It came under me and it was just right next to me and I just slapped at it. Got lucky, got it and the wave was right behind me and just paddled in as hard as I could. Wave took me straight to the beach," he said.
It happened early in the day when no lifeguards were on duty yet. Donnelly limped to a park ranger booth and one called 911.
Later that day, a shark bit an Arizona tourist off Fire Island.
Long Island officials wonder if sharks are the new normal. For now, there will be daily monitoring and an enhanced alert system to notify beachgoers of shark sightings.
"We love the beaches. We love our environment. We love the water. So we want people to be comfortable coming here. But first and foremost, the priority is people's safety," Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said.
Lifeguards are patrolling on wave runners and paddleboards. They're using sophisticated drone infrared technology.
"It is concerning. I definitely don't go out very far," a beachgoer said.
"The thing is with sharks, you got a higher chance of getting struck by lightning," said another.
"It's definitely more nerve-wracking than it used to be to go into the water here," another said.
Gallo says swim only on beaches with lifeguards.
"We have to respect the ocean and respect that that's their world," Gallo said.
Donnelly agrees.
"It's their house. We go there to play and have fun," Donnelly said. "I'd like to get back in as soon as possible. Doctor said like a week for it all to heal up and I'd love to be back out."
