Lifeguards, Flag System, 20/20

[Waterman]

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!!

I feel as though I need to pipe in on the issue. So, here it is! When school is out for summer break, I think that lifeguards should be on the beach for the childrens safety. Here in SoCal, we have lifeguards on the beach all summer. Summer only, with a warning on the beach that No lifeguard is present during non-summer times. Bottom line is, you cannot rely on kids to make a decision for themselves, the parents need to educate them of the dangers, and follow up by supervising them at all times near the water.

 

[Smiling JOe]

(Regarding kids) the parents need to educate them of the dangers, and follow up by supervising them at all times near the water.

The real isssue at hand? Have more people been taking off those thinking caps?

 

[Smiling JOe]

How much do lifeguards earn?

Great question. My guess for this area would be around $8.50 per hour, but I don't imagine the County will be hiring, firing, training, supervising, etc the lifeguards. I think we will see someone get a contract to staff lifeguards at particular locations along the beaches. This has been coming for a long time, and I think we will see something soon. If you don't want them, I suggest you begin a strong campaign against them. It is only a matter of time. My guess is that the County will use a bed tax to pay for them, so money is not an issue.

Other questions I have are who is getting the contract for the Lifeguard Services? How will we find enough 16 year olds in this area who are willing to except the Lifeguard wages? Do the 16 yr old lifeguards call the Sheriff's Office to issue tickets when the public ignores their warnings? ...

 

[ShallowsNole]

As has been asked earlier, how much should a lifeguard earn? Where are they supposed to come from? My guess is that we would need to tap the 16 ? 21 year old surfer crowd. This is appropriate, as they know our beach better than most people do.

But, when we get the young lifeguards, would our vacationers actually listen to them? Probably not as well as many of them listen to our sheriff?s deputies and SWFD personnel when they try to enforce the flag system, which in general isn?t very well. The "false sense of security" issue is very real, too.

Then, what happens when one of our county-employed lifeguards drowns trying to save someone? During ?Black Sunday,? several of our emergency response personnel were almost overcome. Who gets the lawsuit and the liability then?

I don?t know what the answer is, but I?m almost inclined to follow the advice of our BCC Chairman. Stay out of the water, or if you do go in, don?t try to swim out to Cuba. Up to your waist is plenty deep to cool off and enjoy our Gulf.

 

[Teresa]

"The Destin Beach Safety Patrol was initiated by Chief Tuffy Dixon of the Destin Fire Control District in Destin, Florida. Chief Dixon was deeply moved to action on a day that he could not ignore as a professional firefighter and a human being. Chief Dixon began the Destin Beach Safety Patrol days after June 8th, 2003. It was on this day that the lives of 9 families, that were visiting on vacation on June 8th, 2003, would also be changed forever. Tragically, 9 people lost their lives in the Gulf of Mexico that year. The beaches of Destin, Walton County and Pensacola all suffered the tragic loss of life of loved ones and friends. "


for info about Destin's Beach Safety Patrol Program

 

[Bob]

Re: Need to Post and Enforce Flag System - More Drownings

This board is about all our opinions and knowledge, mine is not any more important than anyone elses.

I'm not saying the the basis for the story is ridiculous, and I see both side of the issue. I'm saying rip tides don't "stalk". Anthropomorphism used in a completely innapropriate way to sensationalize a story and prey on the public's primal fears, inciting those fears to sell advertisements and increase profits.

The culture of fear produces and devours headlines like that. Don't give in to unreasonable fears, like hurricanes, sharks, snakes, currents, mold, or sushi. If driving a car was a primal fear, we'd never leave the house. Be a little more skeptical about the content and the motives. Keep things in perspective.

I must admit to admiring generators more when at Home Depot. Jim Cantore, where are you!?

 

[Bob]

Re: Need to Post and Enforce Flag System - More Drownings

My brother-in-law had all the information about the dangers indicated by the red flags and he still CHOSE to go into the water. It was his responsibility. I have children the same age and I CHOSE to keep them off the beach.

There would have to be a lifeguard every 200 yards to patrol the entire beach. You can have lifeguards, laws, fines, jail time, etc. and that is still not going to prevent every drowning. People will find ways to get around every law and go into the water when they shouldn't. People disobey laws all the time--speeding, seat belts, running stop signs, etc. I understand that many of the drownings have occurred without warning and I agree that lifeguards would help in some situations.

I had a two-year-old son who almost drowned in a public pool even though he was 5 feet from a lifeguard. I am the one who pulled my son out of the water. If I had relied on the lifeguard to protect him, my child wouldn't be alive today.

We have choices and we have consequences. We are responsible for our own actions.

Anyone, I mean anyone who has witnessed a lifeguard save someone caught in a rip current[we used to say undertow] could not possibly take your side of the argument. Not anyone standing on the beach, and certainly not the potential victim. I have seen dozens of people rescued from drowning and I'll never forget the images of those folks stumbling back onto the beach. Minimum wage young men and women performing heroic acts. What is one life worth? This has got to be the one of the bigger no-brainers.

 

[Smiling JOe]

Re: Need to Post and Enforce Flag System - More Drownings

Anyone, I mean anyone who has witnessed a lifeguard save someone caught in a rip current[we used to say undertow] could not possibly take your side of the argument. Not anyone standing on the beach, and certainly not the potential victim. I have seen dozens of people rescued from drowning and I'll never forget the images of those folks stumbling back onto the beach. Minimum wage young men and women performing heroic acts. What is one life worth? This has got to be the one of the bigger no-brainers.

FYI - undertow and ripcurrents are two seperate things. We have mostly ripcurrents in this area.

I don't know of any surfers around here who would be willing to give up surfing for minimum wage and work. People in So Wal have difficulty getting drunk people to show up to work for $15/hr, and even then, they won't work after noon on Friday, forget weekends, and sit still in the hot sun -- well, maybe with a 12-pack of Bud.

 

[Beach Runner]

I've seen the arguments against having lifeguards, and I hear where you're coming from. Some have said to stay in shallow water to protect yourself. But I've heard of drownings where people were caught up in a rip current starting in relatively shallow water.

I'm a pretty good swimmer, and I think that I understand the strategy for saving myself from a rip current. I'm just not strong enough to save someone else. However, if I were to see someone I love having trouble in the water, of course I would risk my life to try to save him/her. Unfortunately we'd probably both go under. This is where a lifeguard would help. He/she would hopefully have the training and the strength to save another human being. At some beaches, lifeguards have SeeDoo's so they can get to an endangered swimmer much faster than someone could swim to them.

Yet another dilemma! Both sides of the argument have valid points.

 

[Camp Creek Kid]

Anyone, I mean anyone who has witnessed a lifeguard save someone caught in a rip current[we used to say undertow] could not possibly take your side of the argument. Not anyone standing on the beach, and certainly not the potential victim. I have seen dozens of people rescued from drowning and I'll never forget the images of those folks stumbling back onto the beach. Minimum wage young men and women performing heroic acts. What is one life worth? This has got to be the one of the bigger no-brainers.

Bob, you are completely misrepresenting my arguement. I did not say that lifeguards aren't beneficial nor did I say that they shouldn't be implemented. My arguement is that lifeguards are not going to prevent every drowning and that it should be our first responsiblity to protect ourselves and our families from dangerous gulf conditions.

The "no brainer" is that I'm not going to rely on a 16 year old kid to keep my family safe. If a lifeguard makes you feel safer then more power to you.