@Bob Wells and @enfuego , you could not be more incorrect regarding your comments regarding the lifeguards' REFUSAL to comment to me on the drownings that took place less than 24 hours earlier in Grayton Beach. They looked like classical deer on the road with headlights in their eyes. I'm not sure they would have even pointed out which way Grayton Beach was if I had asked in the same line of conversation. They were kids who looked very worried that I was asking too many questions. Again, in hindsight, they were reacting exactly as they probably had been trained to do.
And I don't have a problem with that.
Bob, I am surprised that you won't confirm that it's standard policy for SWFD including lifeguards NOT TO comment on issues like this, especially right after they occurred (ongoing investigation, autopsy and so on), for liability reasons. If it's not standard policy then there should be a shake-up in the ranks.
With that said and going back to the topic at hand - beach flag system and $500 penalties .....
Remember the flesh eating bacteria drama? The good side to all the hype was that if one had an open cut or a deficient immune system they would think twice about going in the water because of all the information that was being disseminated (myself included). And that did not cost anybody one single dime in "fines". On the flip side, there were a lot of concerns regarding lost tourism all over Florida.
How do you try to prevent the general public from doing stupid things besides implementing fines? You "scare" them by INFORMING them as above. On the other thread as I showed, Okaloosa County openly releases the details of all drownings to the press who then publishes it for the world to see.
The point of commenting on this thread and the other thread is that, IMHO, Walton County swept this drowning under the sand. Again nothing was posted on SWFD Facebook Page. And I still find it very curious that no journalist picked up on the story.
The conspiracy theorist in me (and it's not just my opinion BTW as one can probably guess), believe the threat of losing an almighty tourist dollar (with bad news such as this) trumps the public's need to be informed. Call a drowning a drowning and maybe people will understand that they could be next if they use bad judgement.
And I don't have a problem with that.
Bob, I am surprised that you won't confirm that it's standard policy for SWFD including lifeguards NOT TO comment on issues like this, especially right after they occurred (ongoing investigation, autopsy and so on), for liability reasons. If it's not standard policy then there should be a shake-up in the ranks.
With that said and going back to the topic at hand - beach flag system and $500 penalties .....
Remember the flesh eating bacteria drama? The good side to all the hype was that if one had an open cut or a deficient immune system they would think twice about going in the water because of all the information that was being disseminated (myself included). And that did not cost anybody one single dime in "fines". On the flip side, there were a lot of concerns regarding lost tourism all over Florida.
How do you try to prevent the general public from doing stupid things besides implementing fines? You "scare" them by INFORMING them as above. On the other thread as I showed, Okaloosa County openly releases the details of all drownings to the press who then publishes it for the world to see.
The point of commenting on this thread and the other thread is that, IMHO, Walton County swept this drowning under the sand. Again nothing was posted on SWFD Facebook Page. And I still find it very curious that no journalist picked up on the story.
The conspiracy theorist in me (and it's not just my opinion BTW as one can probably guess), believe the threat of losing an almighty tourist dollar (with bad news such as this) trumps the public's need to be informed. Call a drowning a drowning and maybe people will understand that they could be next if they use bad judgement.