Double Red Flag Violators

[grumpyfish]

From WJHG... KUDOS to Sheriff McKeithen

It is my understanding that you can be fined or arrested.

The Bay County Commission this morning, at the urging of Sheriff Frank McKeithen, adopted an emergency ordinance allowing violators of the double red flags to be arrested.
There have been several hundred rescues and 10 drownings at Panama City Beach this year, many of them while double red flags are flying indicating the beaches are closed to swimmers.
Life Guards, Police and Rescue workers say many swimmers went right back in the water after being instructed to get out.
The County commission adopted the emergency ordinance by unanimous 4 to 0 vote. Commission Jerry Girvin was absent because of a broken leg.
The Ordinance took affect when it was adopted shortly after nine this morning.

I'm not saying I disagree with you, but here is another point of view on the issue: Don't mess with natural selection. Putting local resources in harms way to save the lives of those who are just "thinning the herd" compounds problems. It's called "a little chlorine in the gene pool."

 

[Little Fish]

Ticketing folks for ignoring double red flags is not the answer. Charging folks for being pulled from the water and receiving life saving services sounds more reasonable to me.

Little Fish

 

[seagrovegirl]

Grumpyfish and littlefish....sounds like your pool has too much chlorine in it...............

 

[Matt J]

Ticketing folks for ignoring double red flags is not the answer. Charging folks for being pulled from the water and receiving life saving services sounds more reasonable to me.

Little Fish

I can guarantee the first idiot to get out of the hospital and be presented with a nice 5 digit bill for his/her rescue would make national news and might actually have people looking at the flags. Why do you think speeding tickets keep going up?

 

[Slater72]

Jurisdiction issues aside, I am QUITE happy they are doing something to punish those idiots!

I watched through my binoculars a man swimming in the water yesterday double red clearly visible I called 911 after seeing him getting pulled out by the current undertow whatever it's called I was on the phone still when an at least ten foot wave crashed on his head I lost sight of him he got pulled 2000 feet down the beach in less than a minute his wife and children were hysterical and the look of fear and panic in his eyes is forever burned in my brain. This man came sauntering up the beach while about 5 trucks including police beach police and other emergency personnel arrived my sister who was trying to calm an old couple down pointed him out and he was quickly read the riot act was made to give his information. This man gave my sister such a problem after police left she came home crying. We were told to watch our backs. I thought I was watching a man die I am glad he survived but he will be getting a very hefty fine he said I told him better that than a funeral

 

[Duchess]

I watched through my binoculars a man swimming in the water yesterday double red clearly visible I called 911 after seeing him getting pulled out by the current undertow whatever it's called I was on the phone still when an at least ten foot wave crashed on his head I lost sight of him he got pulled 2000 feet down the beach in less than a minute his wife and children were hysterical and the look of fear and panic in his eyes is forever burned in my brain. This man came sauntering up the beach while about 5 trucks including police beach police and other emergency personnel arrived my sister who was trying to calm an old couple down pointed him out and he was quickly read the riot act was made to give his information. This man gave my sister such a problem after police left she came home crying. We were told to watch our backs. I thought I was watching a man die I am glad he survived but he will be getting a very hefty fine he said I told him better that than a funeral

Thank you for your actions. Sadly this is getting more common. People routinely ignore double reds. A man recently told a lifeguard he was a doctor and that she was more than welcome to drag his dead body out of the water because he was definitely going back in. True story.

 

[Matt J]

The biggest problem is people equate our surf to "normal" surf along the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and it's simply not true.

 

[Will B]

Every person that has to have any kind of rescue personnel called out for them during double red flag days should be billed for the service...

 

[PoppaJ]

The wife and I were driving by the beach in Miramar Monday when there were double red flags and people were in the water everywhere. We noticed two beach vendors down there and wondered if they bear any responsibility in educating the renters.

 

[UofL]

A first step? Replace the second red flag with the 'no swimming' symbol? The wind is usually blowing enough to reveal the whole flag. At each beach entrance add signs that state, a fine if in water ($200?) AND a rescue will be charged $10,000. (Your family won't be fined if you die, unless your rescuer also dies.) People in this country need to be taught the most basic of rules/common sense. Ellen