Honolulu’s Ocean Safety and Lifeguard Services Division is tasked with keeping the public safe along nearly 200 miles of coastline and up to 1 mile out to sea. But while lifeguards are typically on duty from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., some beaches can be busy places before and after that timeframe.

On the South Shore, it’s not unusual for just-arriving visitors with mid-afternoon Waikiki hotel check-in times to be heading into the water in late afternoon, just as lifeguards are packing up for the day. And on the North Shore, surfers routinely paddle out at sunrise and head back to the beach before lifeguards arrive for work.

In the interest of filling those gaps, the City Council last week gave preliminary approval to Bill 39, which would require the city to establish a program that provides for extended lifeguard services, from sunrise to sunset. A move in that direction is sensible and, arguably, overdue.

Priority for extended hours should be directed to beaches that see heavy foot traffic and water activity, such as Hanauma Bay Natural Preserve, which is known for a high volume of rescues. Earlier this year, city lifeguards added an hour and a half to their coverage there as part of a successful pilot project to improve safety.

It’s unclear whether all of the city’s 42 lifeguard towers in beach parks around Oahu need longer daily patrols. A gradual ramping up of operations is in order to effectively assess overall need. Along those lines, Ocean Safety has drafted a five-year plan that calls for hiring at least 15 new recruits annually, and adding eight rescue watercraft, or jet skis, to its fleet.

Currently, the division’s $15 million annual budget includes funding for 194 full-time and 50 part-time employees, and 16 mobile response trucks — eight equipped rescue watercraft. Also in development is a rescue boat program, and research is underway on how drones could be used in guard work.

In addition to being poised to quickly respond to safety threats and emergencies, lifeguards rightly dedicate much of their workday to conducting “preventative actions,” such as talking with beachgoers about ocean conditions and, when necessary, posting warning signs and using the public announcement system to issue warnings about potential hazards.

Also, Ocean Safety stages educational presentations at schools, businesses and with military service members; and pushes out safety messaging online and via social media, along with public service announcements that go to the news media and Oahu hotels.

This month, the Hawaii Tourism Authority furthered worthwhile efforts to educate visitors through the launch of its “Kuleana Campaign,” which spotlights dangers that have resulted in drowning- and hiking-related tragedies as well as reef protection in videos aired on certain airlines and in hotel rooms.

The campaign follows a summer that started with a rash of incidents of swimmers in trouble in areas gaining popularity for cliff jumping. In the aftermath of a fatality at Spitting Cave in Portlock, officials said that due in part to social media posts, some areas have attracted thrill-seekers who may be unaware of dangers, such as rip currents and difficult-to-navigate shore breaks.

Last year, Oahu’s fatal drowning count was 35, within the average annual range for the past decade. But each death is tragic — and for every fatal drowning, it’s estimated that 13 nonfatal drownings occur, some of which can cause long-term disability.

In an effort to see such tragedies decline — amid ongoing seasons of record-breaking visitor arrival counts — the city and City Council should move forward on extending lifeguard services, starting with sunrise-sunset hot spots.