Death today at Seagrove Beach

[ember]

My family and I are vacationing in Seagrove beach. An older gentleman drowned today after not heeding the double red flags. By the time we made it down to the gentleman that passed away he was basically already gone. My sister is a doctor and offered to help with the compressions. They tried reviving him for half an hour before they took him away.

After speaking with someone at Modica, seems that a couple drowned yesterday in Santa Rosa area after being pulled out of the water TWICE PREVIOUSLY by the beach authority. Can someone please tell me why people refuse to understand the severity of the current? That the flags aren't just posted for the amusement of the beach authority?!?! Even AFTER the gentleman died, there was a couple trying to swim in the surf with their kids, ages 4 and up!

I just don't understand why this continues to happen. I am a tourist myself and I still feel like they need to haul these people out of the water and charge them a hefty fine for jeopardizing the lives of these lifeguards who have to go in after them. If we can charge $250 for littering on a highway, they need to start heavily fining people who are going in the water on double red days.

Needless to say it was a somber day at Seagrove beach today. I'm taking it upon myself to call the beach authority if I see one more kid in the water on a double red flag day. This is insane!!

 

[30A Skunkape]

Not in SOWAL, but I know for a fact a good Samaritan died in Perdido Key today trying to pull a fatigued swimmer from the surf.

 

[seagrovegirl]

My family and I are vacationing in Seagrove beach. An older gentleman drowned today after not heeding the double red flags. By the time we made it down to the gentleman that passed away he was basically already gone. My sister is a doctor and offered to help with the compressions. They tried reviving him for half an hour before they took him away.

After speaking with someone at Modica, seems that a couple drowned yesterday in Santa Rosa area after being pulled out of the water TWICE PREVIOUSLY by the beach authority. Can someone please tell me why people refuse to understand the severity of the current? That the flags aren't just posted for the amusement of the beach authority?!?! Even AFTER the gentleman died, there was a couple trying to swim in the surf with their kids, ages 4 and up!

I just don't understand why this continues to happen. I am a tourist myself and I still feel like they need to haul these people out of the water and charge them a hefty fine for jeopardizing the lives of these lifeguards who have to go in after them. If we can charge $250 for littering on a highway, they need to start heavily fining people who are going in the water on double red days.

Needless to say it was a somber day at Seagrove beach today. I'm taking it upon myself to call the beach authority if I see one more kid in the water on a double red flag day. This is insane!!

It is my understanding that the gentleman that unfortunately passed away today at the beach, may have been in the water, however, preliminarily, it is thought that he may have died from other causes....ie; heart attack, stroke.....not from drowning.

Tragic none the less........................my heart and prayers go out to his family and any bystanders that witnessed the tragedy.

 

[Teresa]

very sad to hear about this.

 

[Mango]

Sorry that you had to experience this on your vacation.
Thanks to you and your family for being such good samaritans and trying to help.

 

[ShallowsNole]

The "in the water with double red flags" citations do carry a $100 fine, and there have been a BUNCH of them issued over the last couple of days, judging from the phone calls at work this afternoon.

 

[seagrovegirl]

I just responded to your quote about that issue on another thread......I hope the SO is handing out tickets. It will get the word out that asking people to get out of the water are not just empty threats!!!

 

[Beach Runner]

The closest red flags to where the gentleman drowned are so far away that they just look like decorative flags in front of a condo. At his age I'll bet he couldn't even see the flags, even if he knew what they meant.

Many tourists aren't familiar with the beach flag warning system because there are more private walkovers than public ones. According to a State of Florida website, "To the extent funds are available, warning flags and interpretive signs are provided free of charge to local governments that provide public beach access. The communities that receive the free warning flags and interpretive signs are responsible for the installation, proper use, and maintenance of the flags and signs." The State of Florida has made no provision for these signs to be made available for private walkovers.

 

[ShallowsNole]

I would hope that all of our rental companies and our owners who personally rent their properties have information about the beach flag warning system either prominently displayed, or among the information that guests receive before or upon arrival. Based on conversations I've had, I believe that most do...at least those who are on my mailing list. But we all know there are a great number who are not in my database, yet...

And then, a lot of folks don't read the info they get anyway. Most of the people who communicated their feelings to us today thought it was a swim at your own risk situation, not one that you would get a citation and a fine for. :roll:

 

[seagrovegirl]

I am willing to bet that the peeps that got citations were warned first....at least I hope so.

Most vacationers know about the flag system. It is on brochures they receive, it's posted in their accommodations, it's on beach TV, it's on the public beach accesses, it's a national flag system, not to mention word of mouth and the beach safety personel.

I am all for making the flag system more visible to all visitors and locals too.......any thoughts out there on how to improve the current system????