Where are the beach flags during the off season?

[Bluznbeach]

Why is Walton County not flying its warning flags now? There are none on Inlet Beach, at Rosemary Beach, or apparently anywhere else. Even though it's winter, the air today is warm enough that some fool might get into the surf -- on what, judging by the size of the waves, should be a double-red day. Besides, the flags have always flown year-round before. What gives??

 

[Kurt]

this is the first year they decided not to fly flags during the off season to save money. They are due to start back up for Spring Break.

BTW - Walco will also have beach wheelchairs avail starting this spring at select walkovers. The lifeguards will be handling them and they will be free to use.

 

[Matt J]

They are still updating South Walton Fire District - Protecting the citizens of South Walton County. and as of this post it is a red flag condition.

CURRENT BEACH STATUS!

Our current surf conditions along the
Beaches Of South Walton last changed on
2/18/2009 @ 8:11 am are posted as: Red

DO NOT ENTER WATER!
[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rip_current"]Rip Currents[/ame] or other hazardous situations exist.

**Please note that the surf conditions are generally checked at 9:30 AM & 1:30 PM daily as call load permits.**

 

[Bluznbeach]

this is the first year they decided not to fly flags during the off season to save money. They are due to start back up for Spring Break.

BTW - Walco will also have beach wheelchairs avail starting this spring at select walkovers. The lifeguards will be handling them and they will be free to use.

Thanks for the info, Kurt. But personally, I'd rather see them out every day (and I'm a property owner and taxpayer). Too many visitors just don't understand how powerful the Gulf can be.

 

[Matt J]

Thanks for the info, Kurt. But personally, I'd rather see them out every day (and I'm a property owner and taxpayer). Too many visitors just don't understand how powerful the Gulf can be.

That's great, but the County doesn't pay for the flags, the TDC does through bed taxes. Guess which time of year the least amount of bed taxes are collected?

 

[scooterbug44]

Guess what gets you bad publicity 365 days a year regardless of occupancies? :roll:

If the safety flags are too expensive, there are MANY other places we could trim some TDC fat.

 

[BeachSiO2]

That's great, but the County doesn't pay for the flags, the TDC does through bed taxes. Guess which time of year the least amount of bed taxes are collected?

Guess what gets you bad publicity 365 days a year regardless of occupancies? :roll:

If the safety flags are too expensive, there are MANY other places we could trim some TDC fat.

I thought I would post the link to the press release that was in the Walton Sun article, please note who the submitting agency is and the contact name and number. It's not the TDC.

No more beach safety flags | beach, safety, flags - Local News - WaltonSun.com

Here is a link to a previous Sowal thread on the topic...

http://www.sowal.com/bb/local-government/31301-no-beach-flags.html

 

[Matt J]

I thought I would post the link to the press release that was in the Walton Sun article, please note who the submitting agency is and the contact name and number. It's not the TDC.

No more beach safety flags | beach, safety, flags - Local News - WaltonSun.com

Here is a link to a previous Sowal thread on the topic...

http://www.sowal.com/bb/local-government/31301-no-beach-flags.html

Perhaps you should reread said article.

Beginning January 1, 2009 the South Walton Fire District (SWFD) and the Beaches of South Walton (Tourist Development Center/TDC) will no longer fly "beach safety flags" on the 30 public beach access flag poles during the months of December, January and February.

 

[BeachSiO2]

Perhaps you should reread said article.

I'll let the source of the "press release" speak for themselves on why the flags aren't being flown. I would venture a guess that it is not because of cost as inferred by your post and SB's earlier. Maybe someone could contact the SWFD and ask them if they were told by the TDC to quit fliying the flags to cut costs, or if it was a recommendation/decision by the SWFD due to the lack of lifeguards being present in the offseason to explain the flag system. I am pretty sure it was the latter.

 

[scooterbug44]

There were flags long before there were lifeguards to "explain" them. :roll:

Not to mention that there is a sign in 2 LANGUAGES AND WITH PICTURES at every flag location (and MANY other locations).