No Beach Flags

[Danny Burns]

SWFD has decided not to fly beach condition flags during the off season! The reason given was that we are becoming to accustomed to the flags and will begin to ignore them.
http://www.wjhg.com/home/headlines/36901724.html

Is it just me, or does anyone else think this is the dumbest thing you've seen in a long time? I know we can check the conditions on the SWFD website, but do you think the tourists will know that?

Can anyone else make sense of this move? Anyone from the SWFD seeing this post? Someone explain it to me, if you can. People can drown in the off season just as easily as the tourist season. Do you really think we should make it even easier?

 

[scooterbug44]

What is considered the off season?

IMO, unless there is a major fiscal reason for this decision it is a major step backward after all of the education efforts to get people to pay attention to the flags!

I see stop signs and red lights every day and still know to stop for them, so I am not buying the "accustomed to" argument.

 

[SHELLY]

Is it just me, or does anyone else think this is the dumbest thing you've seen in a long time?

...the dumbest thing I've seen in a long time was Congress handing over a $700 Billion check to Hank Paulson--but I've gotta admit, the explanation given for not flying the warning flags is pretty damn dumb too.

Have they consulted Seamore the Safety Crab about this decision?



.

 

[TooFarTampa]

My 8 year old looked down the beach to Rosemary's flag yesterday and announced, "Mom! It's yellow! We can go in the water!"

If there are idiots who don't follow the flag system, that is their problem. I would imagine most people find it very helpful.

IMO the only offseason is Jan-Feb. Do they want to be responsible for ticking off the snowbirds?

 

[2bohemians]

This makes no sense to us -- just because it's off season. What about the locals? Are we just not important anymore? We all spend so much time and energy trying to make people aware of the flag system and now it's just too much trouble to fly them when the tourist population is lessened ....

 

[Beach Runner]

SWFD has decided not to fly beach condition flags during the off season! The reason given was that we are becoming to accustomed to the flags and will begin to ignore them.
http://www.wjhg.com/home/headlines/36901724.html

Is it just me, or does anyone else think this is the dumbest thing you've seen in a long time? I know we can check the conditions on the SWFD website, but do you think the tourists will know that?

Can anyone else make sense of this move? Anyone from the SWFD seeing this post? Someone explain it to me, if you can. People can drown in the off season just as easily as the tourist season. Do you really think we should make it even easier?

I saw this on WJHG last night and couldn't believe it.

"According to the International Life Saving Federations, safety flags should only be flown on beaches with on-duty lifeguards. Gary Wise with the Beach Safety Division said, "If those lifeguards are not on duty to reflect the conditions of the water then the beach flags that are flying may not actually represent the condition of the water at the time. But some locals say a flag, even if it's the wrong flag, is better than nothing."


I mean, there are days where it is warm enough to go into the water. If the county is trying to save money in the off-season, maybe there should be a new flag that indicates that surf conditions are not being monitored, so swim at your own risk?

The argument that it's okay because people ignore the flags since they have become accustomed to them is just ludicrous IMO.

 

[scooterbug44]

We have an official organization that monitors beach conditions and changes the flags 2x a day.

We have a transient population utilizing the beaches at all times of the year.

We have only a handful of locations w/ lifeguards and only at certain times.

We have spend millions and millions of dollars on print, tv, radio, magnets, and handouts to educate people about the system.

And now we are going to throw that all away?

I am a strong swimmer and very aware of changing conditions and I still check the flags religiously - even when I am not going to be actively on the beach/in the water (mild OCD is funn ).

Seriously, is the plan to have enough people drown so we can justify full time lifeguards at all public accesses?

 

[Beach Runner]

We have an official organization that monitors beach conditions and changes the flags 2x a day.

We have a transient population utilizing the beaches at all times of the year.

We have only a handful of locations w/ lifeguards and only at certain times.

We have spend millions and millions of dollars on print, tv, radio, magnets, and handouts to educate people about the system.

And now we are going to throw that all away?

I am a strong swimmer and very aware of changing conditions and I still check the flags religiously - even when I am not going to be actively on the beach/in the water (mild OCD is funn ).

Seriously, is the plan to have enough people drown so we can justify full time lifeguards at all public accesses?

Amen, sistah! You, too, analogman.

 

[enfuego]

okay, let's go with pulling pieces/parts out of the report from the "fair and balanced" media...

According to the International Life Saving Federation, safety flags should only be flown on beaches with on-duty lifeguards.
Gary Wise with the Beach Safety Division said, "If those lifeguards are not on duty to reflect the conditions of the water then the beach flags that are flying may not actually represent the condition of the water at the time."

I believe there are already signs at each of these locations that state that when no lifeguards are on duty you are swimming at your own risk.

When the "season" is over and the lifeguards aren't there to change the flags who does that?

 

[Arkiehawg]

okay, let's go with pulling pieces/parts out of the report from the "fair and balanced" media...

According to the International Life Saving Federation, safety flags should only be flown on beaches with on-duty lifeguards.
Gary Wise with the Beach Safety Division said, "If those lifeguards are not on duty to reflect the conditions of the water then the beach flags that are flying may not actually represent the condition of the water at the time."

I believe there are already signs at each of these locations that state that when no lifeguards are on duty you are swimming at your own risk.

When the "season" is over and the lifeguards aren't there to change the flags who does that?

SWFD. They did it before we even had lifeguards on our beaches and they could still do it.

Bad idea not to continue to monitor the water and change the flags even in the off season.

-1 Chief......:nono1: