I heard today there were a few more drownings in Panama City Beach by rip tides recently. I don't know if the drownings were during days when a red flag was flying (in which people case should not have gone into the water because of the high hazard). Those of us who rent need to be sure to post the flag system in a prominent place in our rentals and remind people that they indeed need to follow the flag system for their safety and the safety of their children. Some visitors may not understand the flag system or understand the risk they are really taking when they don't pay attention to the flags. As posted on another thread, here's a thread to the flag system that you could download and post:
http://www.seemoresafetycrab.com/
PaulaPaulaBeach FanaticMichigan but someday in SoWal as well3,747 postsJoined View profileMessageBeach Fanatic
PaulaBeach FanaticMichigan but someday in SoWal as well3,747 postsJoined View profileMessageBeach Fanatic13,226 views
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72LindaLindaBeach Fanatic806 postsJoined View profileMessageBeach Fanatic
Re: Need to Post and Enforce Flag System - More Drownings
Bill O'Reilly would be proud!
Bingo. Media is very much about spin. Spin is about evoking emotion, not conveying fact.
Bill O'Reilly would be proud!
SHELLYSHELLYSoWal Insider5,763 postsJoined View profileMessageSoWal Insider
SHELLYSoWal Insider5,763 postsJoined View profileMessageSoWal Insider>>Sure, they may help and they may save a few lives but it won't solve the problem entirely <<
But if one of the lives they do save just happens to be an innocent child whose parents are just, plan stupid--I think that it is worth it.
I've seen people take their toddler in the water when a red flag was flying and EMS was performing CPR on a drowning victim just a few yards away--to admit on national TV that a hokey cartoon crab (Seemore) is the best South Walton can do to protect visitors is beyond insane (but insanely cheap).
On the other hand, how much would the county have to pay these lifeguards to live in the "high rent" South Walton district?? (Certainly more than $10-12 per hour) Truth be told, I think that is what is stopping the county from hiring lifeguards in the first place.
When addressing water safey it stands to reason that a lifeguard on the beach (even if they only help to save a few lives) is more feasible than a cartoon crab on the TV back at the condo.
But if one of the lives they do save just happens to be an innocent child whose parents are just, plan stupid--I think that it is worth it.
I've seen people take their toddler in the water when a red flag was flying and EMS was performing CPR on a drowning victim just a few yards away--to admit on national TV that a hokey cartoon crab (Seemore) is the best South Walton can do to protect visitors is beyond insane (but insanely cheap).
On the other hand, how much would the county have to pay these lifeguards to live in the "high rent" South Walton district?? (Certainly more than $10-12 per hour) Truth be told, I think that is what is stopping the county from hiring lifeguards in the first place.
When addressing water safey it stands to reason that a lifeguard on the beach (even if they only help to save a few lives) is more feasible than a cartoon crab on the TV back at the condo.
chrisvchrisvBeach FanaticFreeport, Florida630 postsJoined View profileMessageBeach Fanatic
chrisvBeach FanaticFreeport, Florida630 postsJoined View profileMessageBeach FanaticOk, I'm gonna just say it: Cops don't prevent crime or vehicle accidents, ski patrollers don't keep skiers from hitting trees and getting caught in avalanches, and lifeguards cannot prevent drownings or shark attacks. I know, I've been in both of the latter professions. We can put in lifeguards for a "feel-good" measure, but the bottom line is that we will still have victims of bad individual choices or pure bad luck. Families of drowning victims (and the press) are not more accepting of their tragedy because the beach was "protected by lifeguards."
TeresaTeresaSoWal GuideSouth Walton, FL30,970 postsJoined View profileMessageSoWal Guide
TeresaSoWal GuideSouth Walton, FL30,970 postsJoined View profileMessageSoWal GuideRe: ABC 20/20 story on Walton County and tourist safety
I didn?t see 20/20, but I read the ?Dangerous Stalking Current? article, and found that it was unbalanced and incomplete ? not surprising :roll: . Anyone who lives here understands that the issue of protecting visitors to our beaches is much more complex and is currently being addressed by Walton County officials (including lifeguards). Very poor media coverage - just about as lopsided as possible!
The flag system and education/awareness campaigns over the last few years have been an important part of addressing the beach safety issue. Certainly more needs to be done, and I am confident that Walton County will find the best solutions that are right for our beach community (we are not Daytona Beach here) and implement them. :cool:
See this 20/20 story that was on tonight about Walton County not reponding to the need for lifeguards on the beaches:
http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=965757&page=1
I didn?t see 20/20, but I read the ?Dangerous Stalking Current? article, and found that it was unbalanced and incomplete ? not surprising :roll: . Anyone who lives here understands that the issue of protecting visitors to our beaches is much more complex and is currently being addressed by Walton County officials (including lifeguards). Very poor media coverage - just about as lopsided as possible!
The flag system and education/awareness campaigns over the last few years have been an important part of addressing the beach safety issue. Certainly more needs to be done, and I am confident that Walton County will find the best solutions that are right for our beach community (we are not Daytona Beach here) and implement them. :cool:
Edited
dustydustyBeach Lover107 postsJoined View profileMessageBeach Lover
Re: ABC 20/20 story on Walton County and tourist safety
The article is pretty much the transcript from the show--what you don't get are the voice inflections, the graphics, etc. At least they help those who saw the program understand what to do if caught in a rip tide.
The article is pretty much the transcript from the show--what you don't get are the voice inflections, the graphics, etc. At least they help those who saw the program understand what to do if caught in a rip tide.
Mystic BeachMystic BeachBeach Comber7 postsJoined View profileMessageBeach Comber
I think we would save more lives if side-impact airbags were required on every vehicle sold, rather than requiring life-guards on the beaches.
FoXFoXBeach Fanaticoff the beach492 postsJoined View profileMessageBeach Fanatic
FoXBeach Fanaticoff the beach492 postsJoined View profileMessageBeach FanaticRe: Need to Post and Enforce Flag System - More Drownings
Did Kurt use the the term irrational? Do you mean unreasonable? I think there is a difference. Keep splitting those hairs.
I don't think you're splitting hairs. I think you're contradicting yourself. The portion in bold italics is a standard definition, and stalking is a human behavior, which means Kurt used the term properly. If you're one of our many SoWal realtors who used to be a former elementary school english teacher, I can understand your comment even if incorrect, otherwise it's a pretty weak comeback.
That is pathetic.
Oh! So the problem is not people actually drowning or the lack of lifeguards, but the county's indifference?:roll: Do you have an axe to grind with the county and were happy to see us ridiculed? You're welcome to sell your property and buy a rental in a community which currently has lifeguards.
Kurt, we *are* trying to keep things in perspective. Fear of having children drown is not even slightly irrational. After motor vehicle related deaths, drowning is the second leading cause of injury death for children.
Did Kurt use the the term irrational? Do you mean unreasonable? I think there is a difference. Keep splitting those hairs.
As for hair-splitting about the use of the word stalking: Stalking may not be completely correctly used in their headline, but referring to their use of it as "anthropomorphism" isn't exactly correct either. Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human motivation, characteristics, or behavior to inanimate objects, animals, or natural phenomena. Since animals stalk as well as humans, it's not technically anthropomorphism to use the term "stalking". 😀 (Though there may well be another more correct term for it.)
I don't think you're splitting hairs. I think you're contradicting yourself. The portion in bold italics is a standard definition, and stalking is a human behavior, which means Kurt used the term properly. If you're one of our many SoWal realtors who used to be a former elementary school english teacher, I can understand your comment even if incorrect, otherwise it's a pretty weak comeback.
Sometimes it takes headlines like this to get people's attention in all the noise of everyday life.
That is pathetic.
The problem is indifference on the part of the county to reducing the risk of drowning, and 20/20 pointed that out very accurately, in my opinion.
Oh! So the problem is not people actually drowning or the lack of lifeguards, but the county's indifference?:roll: Do you have an axe to grind with the county and were happy to see us ridiculed? You're welcome to sell your property and buy a rental in a community which currently has lifeguards.
BeachDreamerBeachDreamerBeach FanaticThe Peaceful Piney Woods.444 postsJoined View profileMessageBeach Fanatic
BeachDreamerBeach FanaticThe Peaceful Piney Woods.444 postsJoined View profileMessageBeach FanaticRe: Need to Post and Enforce Flag System - More Drownings
It isn't unreasonable to want lifeguards on the public beaches. It is unreasonable to say that people died because there weren't any there.
I knew a man who was killed in an avalanche while mountain climbing. There were warnings that day, stating that avalanches were moderately likely, but he went climbing regardless. He was not killed by the lack of rangers in the area preventing people from climbing. He was killed by being in an area where avalanches were warned to be moderately likely.
It isn't unreasonable to want lifeguards on the public beaches. It is unreasonable to say that people died because there weren't any there.
I knew a man who was killed in an avalanche while mountain climbing. There were warnings that day, stating that avalanches were moderately likely, but he went climbing regardless. He was not killed by the lack of rangers in the area preventing people from climbing. He was killed by being in an area where avalanches were warned to be moderately likely.
TeresaTeresaSoWal GuideSouth Walton, FL30,970 postsJoined View profileMessageSoWal Guide
TeresaSoWal GuideSouth Walton, FL30,970 postsJoined View profileMessageSoWal GuideFox... dude... lay off. :blink:
Relax and allow all to express themselves as they will... ;-)
Relax and allow all to express themselves as they will... ;-)
drsveltedrsvelteBeach FanaticSandestin & Red Stick305 postsJoined View profileMessageBeach Fanatic
drsvelteBeach FanaticSandestin & Red Stick305 postsJoined View profileMessageBeach FanaticPrepare for more incoming...
"Shark Attack: Predator in the Panhandle" tonight at 9:00pm on the Discovery Channnel.
"Shark Attack: Predator in the Panhandle" tonight at 9:00pm on the Discovery Channnel.
drsveltedrsvelteBeach FanaticSandestin & Red Stick305 postsJoined View profileMessageBeach Fanatic
drsvelteBeach FanaticSandestin & Red Stick305 postsJoined View profileMessageBeach FanaticI have been caught in two rips on Emerald Coast. The first was during the Gulf Coast triathlon in 1993 or 1994 at Panama City Beach. We had an out-and-back swim of 1.2 miles. The ?out? part seemed to go OK, but when I turned to return it was if I was absolutely swimming in place. I made little headway to the shore and was confused because of this. Finally, a swim marshal in a kayak directed me to swim laterally to shore and then to the beach and I finally made it in. It took me around 50 minutes for that swim, when a distance of 1.2 would normally take in the mid-20?s. I was totally exhausted, never recovered, and it turned out to be my slowest half-Ironman triathlon ever.
The next time I encountered a rip I knew a little bit of what to expect and how to react. It was during a triathlon held at Seaside in November. When we started the race we were pulled out by a rip at an amazing pace as I recall ? we were out a 1/8th mile in no time ? literally seconds. I turned parallel to the shore, and ultimately rounded the final buoy to go in and ended up with my fastest time ever in a .5M swim.
Obviously, I can testify that rips can be a problem even for someone with decent swim skills. For a tourist, without knowledge of the Gulf and local conditions, and limited swimming skills, I?m sure it must be a terrifying experience.
Fundamentally, I do agree with those that argue that this is a matter of personal responsibility. But, pragmatically, I think perhaps something more can be done than our friendly crab. I would think that a pilot program of lifeguards at the major public beach accesses in SoWal might be considered. Say what?
The next time I encountered a rip I knew a little bit of what to expect and how to react. It was during a triathlon held at Seaside in November. When we started the race we were pulled out by a rip at an amazing pace as I recall ? we were out a 1/8th mile in no time ? literally seconds. I turned parallel to the shore, and ultimately rounded the final buoy to go in and ended up with my fastest time ever in a .5M swim.
Obviously, I can testify that rips can be a problem even for someone with decent swim skills. For a tourist, without knowledge of the Gulf and local conditions, and limited swimming skills, I?m sure it must be a terrifying experience.
Fundamentally, I do agree with those that argue that this is a matter of personal responsibility. But, pragmatically, I think perhaps something more can be done than our friendly crab. I would think that a pilot program of lifeguards at the major public beach accesses in SoWal might be considered. Say what?
TeresaTeresaSoWal GuideSouth Walton, FL30,970 postsJoined View profileMessageSoWal Guide
TeresaSoWal GuideSouth Walton, FL30,970 postsJoined View profileMessageSoWal GuideFundamentally, I do agree with those that argue that this is a matter of personal responsibility. But, pragmatically, I think perhaps something more can be done than our friendly crab. I would think that a pilot program of lifeguards at the major public beach accesses in SoWal might be considered. Say what?
very reasonable suggestion. I have read local news reports in the last few months that Walton County is considering options for lifeguard programs. But none have been approved as far as I know. I hope SWFD will develop a beach patrol/lifeguard program that will provide highly effective patrol and rescue - making it worth the investment.
KurtKurtAdminSoWal2,470 postsJoined View profileMessageAdmin
KurtAdminSoWal2,470 postsJoined View profileMessageAdminHow much do lifeguards earn?
ktmeadowsktmeadowsBeach Fanatic759 postsJoined View profileMessageBeach Fanatic
I personally would hate to see lifeguards stationed on our beaches. One of the things we love most about our beaches is being able to enjoy the beauty and sereness without being watched over. Folks surely know that danger exists if you venture out too far into the ocean. Educating the public is the key. We already have the flags out that warn of danger. Parents are responsible for their children; putting a lifeguard out there may just give some parents a false sense of security. I personally love things just the way they are!! 😀
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