Oak Island adds emergency vehicle signs as part of campaign to keep paths free “From Street to Sea”
OAK ISLAND, NC (WWAY) — To assist in responding to emergencies in the water or on the public beach areas, there are 22 Emergency Vehicle Access paths included in the Town of Oak Island’s 65 Public Beach Access Locations.
The pathways are designed to accommodate emergency response vehicles, allowing the Town’s first responder agencies to maintain a consistent track record of being able to reach any public beach area within a matter of minutes.
Keeping these Emergency Vehicle Access Locations free of crowded vehicles and beachgoers is vital to ensuring that, once emergency vehicles arrive, they can rapidly and safely maneuver onto and around the beach.
To help with this goal, the Town of Oak Island has recently launched an effort to redesign these locations.
Just prior to the July 4th holiday weekend, Brand new signage has been designed and installed in all Emergency Vehicle Access Locations. This signage features the new “Street To Sea” slogan, reminding access users to keep emergency paths free, from the street edge all the way to the water’s edge: “Keep it Free, From Street To Sea.”
In addition, staff within the Public Works Department have been working to assess and restructure the parking lots for many of the Emergency Access Locations as well. The new parking layout features parallel parking on one side, as opposed to the previous diagonal slant on both sides. This new arrangement helps prevent the back ends of two longer vehicles from creating a “pinch point” that restricts vehicle access.
Thankfully, blocked accesses have not resulted in the direct delay or fatal outcomes of any response to date. However, first responders have identified several potential issues in past responses. As the Town grows in population and number of visitors, these efforts are a pro-active measure to prevent a future incident before it becomes a critical issue.
Moving forward, the best form of education and program success can come through community participation. Please remember to keep your vehicle out of the emergency pathways. If your vehicle is too long, or has hitch attachments or luggage racks that stick out, be sure find a more suitable space (even if it may mean a longer walk to the beach).
On the beach side, do not place beach equipment in the direct path that vehicles would travel over the dune. Maintain an open and free space all the way to the water, in which vehicles can access and maneuver around the beach.
For an interactive map and full listing of all Emergency Vehicle Access Locations, you visit the Beach Safety page of the Town of Oak Island’s Website at www.OakIslandNC.gov/SAFETY.
