BERLIN, Md. -- National parks are among the most popular destinations this holiday weekend and are expected to break attendance records. But while more Americans are visiting parks, there are fewer rangers, lifeguards and other workers to help them after job cuts.
At Maryland's Assateague Island National Seashore, visitors will find empty lifeguard towers and warning signs that no lifeguards are on duty, CBS News reported.
Zach Tyndall, a former firefighter paramedic who often helped beachgoers at Assateague Island, worries about safety at the popular destination.
"I don't want to see anybody drown. We had saves where we were able to bring people out, and we had some where we weren't able to and that's my biggest fear here on the island," Tyndall said.
Millions visit Assateague Island National Seashore each year, which is managed by the National Park Service. When asked about staffing, the agency did not directly respond to questions, instead saying lifeguard shortages are a "nationwide concern" many communities are facing.
According to a new analysis by the National Parks Conservation Association, permanent staffing is down 24% system-wide since 2017, and less than half of seasonal worker positions – including lifeguards – have been filled.
"So this was a policy put into place that led to a complete hiring freeze on all hiring across the National Park Service," said Ed Stierli with the National Parks Conservation Association, which did the analysis.
"The reason there are no lifeguards at Assateague is honestly a symptom of the chaos and dysfunction that has been impacting this agency," Stierli said.
A Trump administration official said all fire, law enforcement and public-facing park personnel are prioritized to remain in place.
Tyndall, who now serves as the mayor of nearby Berlin, Maryland, is hoping for a safe summer.
"I think that it's critical every day that we don't have a lifeguard here on the beach. Is putting every one of these swimmers, every one of our local residents, everybody that comes to visit Assateague island in jeopardy," Tyndall said.
The situation could worsen with next year's proposed budget, which calls for a cut of more than $1 billion to the National Park Service — the largest in its history.
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