Menendez, In Manasquan, Goes To Battle Over Beach Umbrellas

MANASQUAN – U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez appeared in Manasquan on Monday to say he wants to do something to protect people from flying beach umbrellas.

Menendez said hundreds each year are rushed to emergency rooms with beach umbrella-related injuries, including a woman impaled at the Jersey Shore and a Virginia Beach woman killed by a flying beach umbrella in 2016.

Improperly staked beach umbrellas can take off in the wind like a spear. "It’s a real public health hazard," he said.

So he's urging the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to help educate consumers about how to protect themselves from projectile beach umbrellas – as they have previously done with dangers from numerous other consumer products.

He's also asking them to look into what makes for a better, safer beach umbrella.

"No one is calling for a ban on beach umbrellas, but something is wrong when ANY consumer product can so easily take off and kill someone," he said.