Death today at Seagrove Beach

Please don't misunderstand. In no way did I mean to imply by my question that an owner or the county SHOULD be sued, only that they might be. The "someone else is responsible for my poor choices" attitude seems to be widespread and growing. None of the counties involved has the luxury to decline to rescue those who fail to heed the (multiple) warnings and show little common sense (that should really be re-named; it's all too uncommon these days). I know budgets are already stretched thin. No doubt they are eagerly anticipating the end of swimming season.

In Walton County, the lifeguards, signage, flags, flag poles, informational materials, etc. are all paid for out of bed tax collections by the TDC. I know the yearly payout is over $750,000 and I believe it is closer to $1 million for these beach safety activities.

Day Two at Beach Citation Central...if only I could give a narrative.

My head hurts.

Day Two at Beach Citation Central...if only I could give a narrative.

My head hurts.

I definitely want to hear!!!!! PM me call me or something!!!

Sorry that head hurts...............

http://www.waltonsun.com/news/water_1949___article.html/family_victim.html

At approximately 12:15 p.m. on Monday, a man died after wading in the surf near Eastern Lake Road in Seagrove Beach.
Deputy Chief Sean Hughes of the South Walton Fire District said the man "happened to be right at the water's edge and had a cardiac-related issue." Hughes said the death was not related to water conditions, though double red flags were flying.
According to witnesses, the victim, who appeared to be in his 70s or 80s, collapsed in the water shortly after getting in. His cause of death has not yet been confirmed.
Vacationer Ben Kramer said family members of the victim watched from the balcony as a crowd formed and rescuers arrived - they were unaware he was in the water at the time.
"His daughter had already taken him up (from the beach)," she said. "It was strange that he came back down."
Kramer said she grabbed his hat and glasses and searched for his family while two nurses on the beach tended to the victim with CPR.
Nicky Morris, whose family was on vacation from Tennessee, was one of the nurses who happened to be at the scene.
"We were just sitting out and a young guy ran up to see if anyone knew where a lifeguard was," she said. "I helped start CPR on him and my husband ran down (and helped)."
Glen Morris said the man had a scar on his chest that appeared to be from open-heart surgery. He believes the man might have gotten caught in a rip current and then had a heart attack after struggling.
"He had no pulse when he came out of the water," he said. "He was already blue. A family member said he was an excellent swimmer and had been coming to the ocean for most of his life. (For them) it was a big surprise."

Man Rescued from Rip Current in Watersound

Around noon today, a man was rescued from a rip current in Watersound about 50 yards from where we were sitting. About 6 people were involved in rescuing him. It took about 5 minutes to get him out of the water. He did not need resuscitation, but was not able to get out of the water on his own. He had to lay down at the edge of the water for about 15 minutes. The beach patrol showed up about 15 minutes after he was taken out of the water. There was a red flag flying at the time.

When we arrived at the beach in the morning, I immediately noticed a break in the sandbar, so knew that there was probably a rip current in that spot. Plus, I recognized the characteristic sand cusps and points on the beach. The rip current was located in the cusp area of the beach. Unfortunately, many people don't know what to look for. After this happened, several other people went in the water in the same location. Wouldn't it be wise for the beach patrol to mark this area as a possible rip current?

Thankfully, a drowning was avoided today.

http://www.waltonsun.com/news/water_1949___article.html/family_victim.html

At approximately 12:15 p.m. on Monday, a man died after wading in the surf near Eastern Lake Road in Seagrove Beach.
Deputy Chief Sean Hughes of the South Walton Fire District said the man "happened to be right at the water's edge and had a cardiac-related issue." Hughes said the death was not related to water conditions, though double red flags were flying.
According to witnesses, the victim, who appeared to be in his 70s or 80s, collapsed in the water shortly after getting in. His cause of death has not yet been confirmed.
Vacationer Ben Kramer said family members of the victim watched from the balcony as a crowd formed and rescuers arrived - they were unaware he was in the water at the time.
"His daughter had already taken him up (from the beach)," she said. "It was strange that he came back down."
Kramer said she grabbed his hat and glasses and searched for his family while two nurses on the beach tended to the victim with CPR.
Nicky Morris, whose family was on vacation from Tennessee, was one of the nurses who happened to be at the scene.
"We were just sitting out and a young guy ran up to see if anyone knew where a lifeguard was," she said. "I helped start CPR on him and my husband ran down (and helped)."
Glen Morris said the man had a scar on his chest that appeared to be from open-heart surgery. He believes the man might have gotten caught in a rip current and then had a heart attack after struggling.
"He had no pulse when he came out of the water," he said. "He was already blue. A family member said he was an excellent swimmer and had been coming to the ocean for most of his life. (For them) it was a big surprise."

That is such a sad story. You are absolutely right about the unnecessary risks the life guards are subjected to and I agree there should be a fine for those who ignore the warnings. I hope your efforts in contacting the authorities is successful.

While being at the beach for the month of June and July, I made many observations. I will just share a few:
1. People with no regard to the flag system. Small children playing in the gulf when it was the roughest I have seen in years. Adults laying up on the beach paying no attention.
2. People leaving their stuff on the beach over night without any tags being placed on the items from the patrol. Storms coming in and blowing the stuff everywhere.
3. People leaving their trash everywhere, when the trash container was right past were they walked to leave.
4. People with no regard for cross walks, and dragging their kids across telling them to hurry. What does that teach a child? Don't use the cross walk, just run out in the street and people will stop, MAYBE!
5. people digging holes, my 7 year old went over and told them that they shouldn't do that because the turtles didn't like it and how he wants the turtles to have a place to lay their eggs. The people just said oh, turtles can get out of our holes. My son walked away and shook his head at them. I went over and told them to please make sure they covered the wholes that my seven year old has been educated on how to be respectful of the beaches and was just sharing what he has been taught. The guy was a jerk and just said we are just digging holes. I also shared that people could really get hurt if they are walking and turn a ankle.

I am sad to see what is happening to our beaches. I for one suggest that we continue to educate people when we see them doing stupid things, digging holes, leaving their crap up, and swimming on double red flag days. I could have sat there and not said anything to these people, but when my seven year old goes over to try to talk to some one and educate them and they blow him off, I was mad.

Okay, I am done ranting.......... it just makes me sad sOme of the things I saw on this last trip.

I'm really to the point of looking forward to complaining about slow moving buicks and price checks on 10 cent items at Publix. :roll:

I'm really to the point of looking forward to complaining about slow moving buicks and price checks on 10 cent items at Publix. :roll:

I've been thinking the same thing. Usually, I absolutely crave the summer, but this year I can hardly wait for it to be over...

thank you ozmom for your observations. okay, what has changed and when did it happen? has this been a gradual change in behaviour or is eveyone just seeing new and worse behaviour this summer? seems to me that every summer brings a new problem and that one problem is not addressed (trash)...then the next summer comes and there is a new something (things left on beach overnight) and next summer (holes being dug)....etc.

How about someone start a list of issues and to the right list the laws on the book that cover it or possible solutions.

Please don't let scooterb see this.

This year is about as bad as I've ever seen it. What bothers me the most are the parents who let little children play in the rough surf while they sleep under a tent --I have witnessed so many unsafe situations with the children...these children 2 and 3 years of age, could be washed away in a rip current and the parents wouldn't even know they were gone.

What are these folks thinking?

This year is about as bad as I've ever seen it. What bothers me the most are the parents who let little children play in the rough surf while they sleep under a tent --I have witnessed so many unsafe situations with the children...these children 2 and 3 years of age, could be washed away in a rip current and the parents wouldn't even know they were gone.

What are these folks thinking?

The vacation fairy will protect them...............

I'm really to the point of looking forward to complaining about slow moving buicks and price checks on 10 cent items at Publix. :roll:

You love snowbirds, and you know it

I've been thinking the same thing. Usually, I absolutely crave the summer, but this year I can hardly wait for it to be over...

true dat

People misbehave because there are no consequences! Enforce the hail out of the "no items on the beach" and make up the budget shortfall writing tickets for going in the water on red flag days. When people complain tell them "this is the law". No exceptions, no warnings, no whining.

What exactly are we afraid of - that the national media will jump on a story that we are (gasp) actually enforcing basic laws to protect an endangered species, keep the beaches clean and safe, and prevent drowning deaths?

Don't vacation in Sowal, they try to keep you from drowning! Story at 11! :roll:

Yesterday I jokingly made the ridonkulous suggestion that we start having a PA system that broadcasts announcements about beach conditions for those who can't properly see the flags........................then saw a clip on the evening news of the PC police doing just that!

The video shows a police officer driving down the beach in an official pick-up, broadcasting "it is a double red flag day, stay out of the water" over and over. Her frustrated comment of "they just don't listen" before she stops the truck to rescue someone REALLY sums the issue up for me!

My first hand observations

Guess the rant continues for me....back here for the fourth time this year (since december 31st, 2007) and am appalled to note over and over man's ignorance, stupidty, hostility towards anyone with an opinion other than their own. Once again we watch as people dig holes from boredom, competition, ignorance; throw their trash down and walkaway as if the beach fairy will just clean it up, ignore flags, conditions, common sense. Maybe it is a vacation mode one reaches away from home. Maybe it is just a mean streak that says "I am independent and I can do any damn thing I wanna at any damn time I wanna", or it is a mask behind which fear of anything threatening to individual "freedoms" hide. Not to get too philosophical. Yesterday I picked up four plastic jugs and two full bags of trash on my walk from the Powell Lake outlet to our beach area at Inlet Beach and just had to walk away from somethings I saw or have my blood pressure surge to nasty levels. It, the flagrant disregard for "rules", isn't restricted to class, education, regional or religious differences, race, color or creed. It is pervasive. So I really believe it is education. Whatever is being done to educate the vacationing public isn't done thoroughly or completely or constantly enough. It will take the flags, posted warnings, printed materials, refrigerator magnets, radio commercials, TV spots, banners, lifeguard warnings, sheriff and other officials patrolling the beaches verbal and PA warnings, for years from January through December. Require all rental agents and companys to provide the warning materials for each rental unit/home/condo or face fines. Issue citations and demand ID for any issuance even if the recipient of msuch a warning must return to their unit for an ID. Follow-up on all citations. Get tough. As far as the fear of local government being seen as tough on beach violations, it reminds me of the early scenes in "Jaws" when the local officials fear posting beach closed signs or shark warning signs for fear of loosing tourist income.

Anyway, I shed a tear or two when I think about the days when the sands would sing when you walked, when the small bits of trash were almost unnoticeable, when the clusters of beach umbrellas disappeared each night, when one could walk the beach at night wiout a flashlight on a good moon and not step in a hole and sprain an ankle. Maybe we can return to those days if everyone here becomes an activist and demand visitors behave according to local laws and rules. That's my take.

I know that when my family is going to go the the beach, we actively look for flags or research the situation before we go. I also know that there are lots of stickers, magnets, pamphlets, ect. out there with the flag system to educate the public. I think that the problem is that there are many visitors who don't know the systems, or moreover, don't want to know the system. They spend a lot of money to visit for a few days and they really don't want someone telling them that they can't/shouldn't go in the water. Unfortunately you can't save someone from themselves, but I fear for their children who trust their parents for their well being. I agree with Goodwitch 58 that for the good of the public, we should have a more aggressive campaign, something less harsh than "When 2 Reds Fly - People Die" (with some strong simple graphics). This is probably too harsh I know, but honestly, people need to be shocked into awareness sometimes, a visual slap. But I also agree with Geo that the TDC is trying to convince people to visit, not scare them away, so they would not likely help a fear based campaign.
I would gladly offer to design such a poster, or series, but I still don't know if it would work, or if its the right direction to help this serious situation.
It is all very sad.

I know that when my family is going to go the the beach, we actively look for flags or research the situation before we go. I also know that there are lots of stickers, magnets, pamphlets, ect. out there with the flag system to educate the public. I think that the problem is that there are many visitors who don't know the systems, or moreover, don't want to know the system. They spend a lot of money to visit for a few days and they really don't want someone telling them that they can't/shouldn't go in the water. Unfortunately you can't save someone from themselves, but I fear for their children who trust their parents for their well being. I agree with Goodwitch 58 that for the good of the public, we should have a more aggressive campaign, something less harsh than "When 2 Reds Fly - People Die" (with some strong simple graphics). This is probably too harsh I know, but honestly, people need to be shocked into awareness sometimes, a visual slap. But I also agree with Geo that the TDC is trying to convince people to visit, not scare them away, so they would not likely help a fear based campaign.
I would gladly offer to design such a poster, or series, but I still don't know if it would work, or if its the right direction to help this serious situation.
It is all very sad.

Thanks for your comments and your offer. There certainly must be a compromise place: where citizens are informed and thereby can better take the proper precautions; and fear that keeps tourists away from the beach.

As I said, the SeeMore campaign works for the audience it is designed for: the children. Why not have an adult version. It won't influence the behavior of all the people--but a well designed campaign would make a difference.

Let's get a group together and see if we can put together a campaign that the TDC and the BCC won't object to...if we saved one life it would be worth it, wouldn't it? Especially if that life was a small child. Perhaps we can get support from the SWFD and the Sheriff's Office.

I would think the publicity about people dying on our beaches would be more harmful than a campaign designed to save people.

I actually like "when red flags fly people die".

People just don't get that it's dangerous/serious - they think we're being overprotective and keeping them from enjoying their vacation.

Short of razor wire at the water line, I don't think anything is going to keep some of these folks out of the water.

Just like speed limit signs, people just ignore them.

I think that more adults drown every year than children at our beaches.
I stand with my offer to donate my design services if I can help. Just let me know.
Even one saved life is worth it.

Short of razor wire at the water line, I don't think anything is going to keep some of these folks out of the water.

Just like speed limit signs, people just ignore them.

I agree, except that speeding endangers others. Swimming in dangerous waters only endangers yourself.

I'm usually a compassionate person, but I don't think that folks over the age of 18 should be ticked or rescued when reds are flying. Warn them to get out and enforce the part about swimming at your own risk. Lifeguards should not be asked to risk their lives over someone else's willful disregard of dangerous conditions. Let natural selection do its work.

As for the parents who allow their children to swim (or jaywalk!), they shouldn't be ticketed; they should be arrested for child endangerment. :angry:

I agree, except that speeding endangers others. Swimming in dangerous waters only endangers yourself.

I'm usually a compassionate person, but I don't think that folks over the age of 18 should be ticked or rescued when reds are flying. Warn them to get out and enforce the part about swimming at your own risk. Lifeguards should not be asked to risk their lives over someone else's willful disregard of dangerous conditions. Let natural selection do its work.

As for the parents who allow their children to swim (or jaywalk!), they shouldn't be ticketed; they should be arrested for child endangerment. :angry:

That was my thinking too. We're not all stopping the spring breakers in the stores to tell them how dangerous drinking and driving is while they're here . There are safety campaigns for that, yes. There are safety campaigns here too for beach safety. Maybe they should be improved or updated. There are warnings everywhere though, and at some point individual responsibility should be left to the individual.

More and more I am feeling that there is more than enough signage etc. to create awareness - folks are just not cooperating/following the rules.

Like I said- you can't often save someone from themself.