Beach Patrol Headquarters back in place after Irene

City of Long Beach workers on Oct. 7 finally repositioned Beach Patrol Headquarters, which was lifted off its foundation and slammed into the boardwalk at National Boulevard during Tropical Storm Irene.

The headquarters had been stranded in the same position for a little more than a month after being hit by a strong storm surge from Irene, a storm which resulted in massive flooding, power outages and downed trees across the barrier island.

Following a long delay and several failed attempts to move the building back on its foundation, City Manager Charles Theofan said in late September that the city enlisted in the help of Bay Crane Service Inc., that focuses in crane rental and specialized transportation solutions in New York, to reposition the headquarters.

Theofan said Monday that he was “glad” the headquarters had been repositioned, noting that the structure is important to Long Beach lifeguards.

“I’m glad,” Theofan said. “They had two cranes on the beach. It took them all of 17 minutes.”

Asked how much the effort would cost the city, he said he did not know, but said he anticipated that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) would reimburse the city because what unfolded with patrol headquarters was hurricane related.

Long Beach Chief of Lifeguards Paul Gillespie, who said that the best-case scenario would have been for the headquarters — which was built in 1982 — to be placed back on its foundation, said that he was happy the process worked out.

“They put it back on,” he said, “so it should be good for some time.”

Theofan previously said the process had been delayed because the city did not want to proceed during the Quiksilver Pro New York competition, which drew thousands to National Boulevard beach during early September, and also cited difficulties coordinating a schedule with Bay Crane.

Gillespie said that the headquarters was inspected, and that it remains in good shape. “It’s pretty solid. We walked around in it,” he said. “There is a slight bubble in the floor. But I’ll take it. I’m delighted we have our headquarters back.”