Crime & Safety
Lightning Detector Installed At Berkeley Beach
The detector was installed following lifeguard Keith Pinto's tragic death in South Seaside Park last summer.
BERKELEY, NJ — A lightning detection system has been installed at the beach in Berkeley following last year's tragic lifeguard death.
The "Strike Guard" system, which is now installed and fully operational, is intended to help prevent injuries and deaths, like 19-year-old Keith Pinto's, who was killed by a lightning strike at a South Seaside Park beach last summer. Read More: 19-Year-Old Lifeguard Killed By Lightning Strike On NJ Beach
The fully-automated system can detect lightning up to 20 miles away, Mayor Carmen Amato explained at a recent council meeting. The sensor does not allow for false alarms, he said.
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When lighting is detected within five miles, the system blasts a siren and visible strobes, Amato said. When lightning moves away, a foghorn blares.
Amato said he worked with the Recreation Department to install the detector and it came out of the township's budget.
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The new system is one of several installed at the Jersey Shore this year following Pinto's death. Brick beaches and Toms River beaches are some of those working to protect beachgoers and lifeguards with lightning detectors.
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