Maryland senators push for lifeguard staffing at Assateague Island after federal budget cuts

Maryland senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks are urging the Trump administration to restore lifeguard staffing at Assateague Island National Seashore, which is managed by the National Park Service (NPS).

Due to federal budget cuts enacted earlier this year, no lifeguards are working at Assateague this summer. The popular park is visited by more than two million people each year, according to the senators.

"We urge you to fill all vacant lifeguard positions at Assateague immediately to protect public safety at this popular beach destination," the senators wrote in a joint letter.  

"Public safety risk"

Assateague is known for strong rip currents and other potential dangers.

According to a letter sent by the senators, lifeguards made at least 24 rescues at Assateague in 2024.

Now, because of staff reductions to the NPS and a federal hiring freeze, Van Hollen and Alsobrooks argue that there should be lifeguards on duty at Assateague.

The senators wrote that it is a "public safety risk."

"It seems that reduced capacity at NPS from Trump administration funding and staff cuts, combined with the fact that hiring delays forced area lifeguards to look elsewhere for summer employment, have played a role in NPS's failure to put basic measures in place to keep visitors safe at Assateague," the letter continued. "Lives are at risk with no lifeguards at Assateague. Rip currents, large waves, and marine debris are significant hazards that can harm or endanger beachgoers."

Van Hollen and Alsobrooks wrote that, rather than hiring lifeguards, NPS is relying on neighboring emergency responders to be called, some from several miles away.

"NPS plans to rely on support from neighboring emergency responders, like those at Maryland's Assateague Island State Park and emergency services from nearby towns – the closest of which is well over 20 minutes away – as well as altering NPS's normal patrol routes to concentrate more on beach areas where lifeguards would normally be stationed," according to the letter. "These ad hoc measures are unacceptable; drownings happen in minutes, and there is no substitute for attentive lifeguards specifically assigned to monitoring water safety at Assateague. Furthermore, NPS's current limited safety measures burden neighboring beach safety and emergency response efforts, stretching services too thin and making the entire area less safe for residents and visitors alike."

NPS staffing cuts pose safety concerns

According to CBS News, an analysis recently released by the Conservation Association, the Park Service has lost 24% of its permanent staff since Mr. Trump took office in January. The analysis also determined that about 4,500 seasonal positions have been filled, including lifeguards, well under the 7,700 seasonal positions NPS said it was aiming to fill.

CBS News reported that the Trump administration laid off about 1,000 NPS employees in February as part of its push, led by the White House's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), to enact large-scale personnel and budgetary cuts across the federal government. 

The administration also enacted a hiring freeze on federal permanent civilian employees immediately after taking office, which has impacted the Park Service, according to CBS News. That hiring freeze has since been extended to July 15.  

CBS News asked the National Park Service about the staffing issues on Assateague Island, but NPS said that lifeguard shortages are a "nationwide concern even outside of our public lands. Many communities and cities across the country are experiencing a lifeguard shortage below ideal levels. Visitors have always had access to unguarded beaches and guarded beaches even after lifeguards leave for the day. We appreciate the public's understanding and cooperation as we work to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all."

"It is unclear why the Department did not count lifeguards as 'public safety' personnel, which would have omitted them from the hiring freeze, as outlined in an April 2025 Department of Interior memo," Van Hollen and Alsobrooks wrote. "And despite the fact that seasonal employees were finally exempted from the federal hiring freeze on May 2, 2025, NPS still did not manage to hire lifeguards at Assateague for the summer season."