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Heed the red flag, folks
- Thread starter TreeFrog
- Start date
Smiling JOe
SoWal Expert
Franny said:
Well, I know my day is coming when I could be standing there on the beach trying to make that life or death decision, and a lifevest is an easy choice, esp since I already own them to use with my kayaks.
Note, never go in without one because a drowning person will put you under if it means they could survive -- just survival instinct that is not easily over-written.
If you ever go in to rescue, grab a floatation device of some sort before you do!
beachmouse
Beach Fanatic
Blurb from the Daily News on the Seagrove case:
"The man, whose name was not released, swallowed salt water and suffered from exhaustion. He was airlifted to Sacred Heart Hospital."
No condition for the man was given in the report.
"The man, whose name was not released, swallowed salt water and suffered from exhaustion. He was airlifted to Sacred Heart Hospital."
No condition for the man was given in the report.
Camp Creek Kid
Christini Zambini
Rip currents claim more victims
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March 22, 2006
By Gwen Break/The Sun
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Three people were transported to area hospitals on Tuesday, one by air ambulance, after getting caught in rip tides near Eastern Lake in the Gulf of Mexico around 10:15 a.m.
According to South Walton Fire District Deputy Chief Sean Hughes, two teen girls were on the beach when rescue officials arrived. A third victim, father to one of the girls, was approximately 250 yards offshore.
The man was in the water for about 30 minutes before rescuers could launch a personal water device and reach the man and affect a rescue.
The man had apparently gone into the water to rescue the two girls who got into trouble while swimming. He became separated and was pulled out by rip tides.
Once on the beach he was transported by AirHeart to Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast.
Both SWFD and Sacred Heart refused to release information on any of the victims citing HIPPA regulations.
At the time of the rescue, there was a red flag posted in one direction and a yellow flag in the other as they were in the process of being changed, said Hughes.
To the east in Bay County, an international student enrolled at an Alabama college drowned in the Gulf of later that day, according to a Panama City Beach police official.
Maj. David Humphreys said police are investigating the death of the 23-year-old Uzbekistan man who was pulled from the water behind Club La Vela at about 3:45 p.m.
He was an inexperienced swimmer and according to police officials, the victim?s roommate said despite the red flags, they were in the water together most of the day. The roommate told police they were in chest-deep water when the current began to pull the 23-year-old away from shore.
Rescue officials cautioned area visitors to look for the warning flags on the beach and heed them. A yellow flag indicates swimmers should use caution as conditions are favorable for developing hazards. A red flag indicates extremely dangerous conditions exist. Double red flags mean the water is closed to swimming.
In Walton County, those entering the water on a double red flag can be assessed a $200 fine.
This is the first year Walton County lifeguards are on duty at public beaches. On Tuesday, the nearest lifeguard to Eastern Lake was at the Santa Clara public beach access, approximately one mile to the west. The lifeguard there did run the mile to assist in rescue efforts.
Beach goers can check which flags are flying before departing by logging on to www.waltonsun.com or www.swfd.org.
Reporter Paul L. Mikolajczyk, of the News Herald in Panama City, also contributed to this article.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
March 22, 2006
By Gwen Break/The Sun
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Three people were transported to area hospitals on Tuesday, one by air ambulance, after getting caught in rip tides near Eastern Lake in the Gulf of Mexico around 10:15 a.m.
According to South Walton Fire District Deputy Chief Sean Hughes, two teen girls were on the beach when rescue officials arrived. A third victim, father to one of the girls, was approximately 250 yards offshore.
The man was in the water for about 30 minutes before rescuers could launch a personal water device and reach the man and affect a rescue.
The man had apparently gone into the water to rescue the two girls who got into trouble while swimming. He became separated and was pulled out by rip tides.
Once on the beach he was transported by AirHeart to Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast.
Both SWFD and Sacred Heart refused to release information on any of the victims citing HIPPA regulations.
At the time of the rescue, there was a red flag posted in one direction and a yellow flag in the other as they were in the process of being changed, said Hughes.
To the east in Bay County, an international student enrolled at an Alabama college drowned in the Gulf of later that day, according to a Panama City Beach police official.
Maj. David Humphreys said police are investigating the death of the 23-year-old Uzbekistan man who was pulled from the water behind Club La Vela at about 3:45 p.m.
He was an inexperienced swimmer and according to police officials, the victim?s roommate said despite the red flags, they were in the water together most of the day. The roommate told police they were in chest-deep water when the current began to pull the 23-year-old away from shore.
Rescue officials cautioned area visitors to look for the warning flags on the beach and heed them. A yellow flag indicates swimmers should use caution as conditions are favorable for developing hazards. A red flag indicates extremely dangerous conditions exist. Double red flags mean the water is closed to swimming.
In Walton County, those entering the water on a double red flag can be assessed a $200 fine.
This is the first year Walton County lifeguards are on duty at public beaches. On Tuesday, the nearest lifeguard to Eastern Lake was at the Santa Clara public beach access, approximately one mile to the west. The lifeguard there did run the mile to assist in rescue efforts.
Beach goers can check which flags are flying before departing by logging on to www.waltonsun.com or www.swfd.org.
Reporter Paul L. Mikolajczyk, of the News Herald in Panama City, also contributed to this article.
Paula
Beach Fanatic
TooFarTampa said:
Thanks for the kind words, Cork and TooFarTampa, and for the link to swfd.com SJ. Calling guests is one way to keep them safe, and I also get to know what's going on because I ask about the beaches and area. I also get ideas for what I could do in the cottages for future guests as well.
From our beach access across from the Cottages at Camp Creek, the flag pole is between 1/4 - 1/2 mile west. It's a bit tricky to see and you sometimes have to walk toward it to see it, but it's well worth the short walk to check.
TooFarTampa
SoWal Insider
Thanks for the link SJ. I am going to have to provide it to my renters and check out the location of the flag the next time I'm up there. Once again this is a good reminder to help guide our visitors by giving them local information.
Beach Runner
beats on hood
I also keep a mask and medical gloves in my car after confronting an auto accident several years ago and being fearful of getting HIV, hep, or whatever from being exposed to blood from the injured persons. When this situation happened, I was haunted for days with regret for leaving the victims and merely driving to the closest phone (didn't have a cell phone with me), yet assured that I had made the right decision to protect myself, and indirectly my family, from a life-threatening disease. Now with gloves, etc., in my car I don't have that monkey on my back.Smiling JOe said: