SWFD's Rip Current Awareness and Beach Safety Message

[Teresa]

South Walton Fire District
Tuesday June 10

RED FLAGS AT THE BEACH

18 separate Water Rescues and Public Assists today...so far.

It's 2 pm and we're working hard to keep people safe out there!

Single Red flags flying after several Double Red days.

People are frustrated. We get it.

SWFD's Rip Current Awareness and Beach Safety Week social media messaging has been blunted by our need to fully mobilize and deal with actual water rescues and prevention efforts, so let me take a moment to share:

Whether it's the result of Tropical Storm surge or normal wind driven surf, rip currents are a particularly dangerous hazard on the beaches of the panhandle.

Our soft, diffuse sand shifts considerably with deadly effect to create rip currents that outmatch Olympic conditioned swimmers.

We're posting this video because it's one of the quickest, most visually explanatory examples to be found.

Take a moment to understand rip currents and avoid being caught in the frip of a rip.

 

[Teresa]

Texas man dies after being pulled from Gulf in South Walton

SANTA ROSA BEACH — A 47-year-old Texas man died Tuesday after he was pulled from the Gulf of Mexico in South Walton County, officials say.

Michael Willard Bratcher was in the water just west of the Walton Dunes Beach Access when several bystanders noticed he was in distress, Beach Safety Director David Vaughan said.

Double red flags were flying at the time.

One of the bystanders tried to rescue Bratcher. After he was pulled onto the beach, Walton County sheriff’s deputies and crews from the South Walton Fire District arrived and took over lifesaving efforts, according to a field case report from the Sheriff’s Office.

Bratcher was taken to Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Bratcher was one of 11 people pulled from the Gulf in South Walton on Tuesday. There were 18 rescues before 2 p.m. Wednesday, according to officials.

Walton Sun
June 10, 2020