(24 Jun 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jupiter, Florida – 17 June 2024
1. Wide of Atlantic Ocean
2. Red flag flying on top of lifeguard tower
3. High hazard water conditions displayed on sign
++PARTIALLY COVERED++
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Daniel Barnickel, Palm Beach County Ocean Rescue:
"The USLA (United States Lifesaving Association) says there’s a 1 in 18,000,000 chance that you can drown on a guarded beach. But year after year in South Florida, rip currents claim more lives than every weather related hazard combined."
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Juno Beach, Florida – 17 June 2024
5. Mid of waves crashing
6. No swimming flag flying
7. No swimming sign posted on beach
8. Surfers in the water
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jupiter, Florida – 17 June 2024
++PARTIALLY COVERED++
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Daniel Barnickel, Palm Beach County Ocean Rescue:
"Most of our rip rescues happen outside the guarded areas because we’re not there to prevent it from happening. But a lot of people will get into these situations and be surprised by them and we’ll just say, you know, rip currents are really strong. If you’re caught in one and you try to swim straight in, you’re not going to be able to."
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Juno Beach, Florida – 17 June 2024
10. Surfers in the water
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jupiter, Florida – 17 June 2024
11. Lifeguard tower
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Juno Beach, Florida – 17 June 2024
12. People on the beach
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jupiter, Florida – 17 June 2024
++SOUNDBITE PARTIALLY COVERED++
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Daniel Barnickel, Palm Beach County Ocean Rescue:
"Make sure you’re in front of the lifeguard towers. Don’t be way far away from the lifeguard towers. Try to bring your family as close to the lifeguard tower as you can and swim in front of the lifeguards. And any questions, don’t hesitate to ask. You’re going to see the red flag. That’s because of the rip current advisory today. So the flags will tell you a lot of information as well as the beach conditions boards."
14. Sign displaying rip current hazard
15. Red flag displayed on lifeguard tower
STORYLINE:
Stinging jellyfish, rays with their whip-like tails and sharks on the hunt are some ocean hazards that might typically worry beachgoers.
But rip currents are the greatest danger and account for the most beach rescues every year.
Officials say six people drowned in rip currents over a recent two-day period in Florida, including a couple vacationing on Hutchinson Island from Pennsylvania with their six children and three young men on a Panhandle holiday from Alabama.
About 100 people drown from rip currents along U.S. beaches each year.
That is according to the U.S. Lifesaving Association. And more than 80 percent of beach rescues annually involve rip currents.
Daniel Barnickel with Palm Beach County Ocean Rescue says it’s nearly impossible to fight the current directly.
Many swimmers who get in trouble tire themselves out trying to get back to the beach, lifeguards say.
Barnickel encourages all ocean swimmers to stay near a lifeguard station.
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