SWIM SAFETY

Tragic water accidents happen quickly. The most common reason for aquatic mishaps is a lack of safety knowledge. Brevard County lifeguards recommend the following safety tips:

• Learn to swim
• Swim near a lifeguard
• Never Swim Alone
• Don't Dive Into Unknown Water or Into Shallow Breaking Waves
• Ask a Lifeguard About Beach and Surf Conditions Before Swimming
• If You Are Unable to Swim Out of a Strong Current, Signal for Help
• Rely on Your Swimming Ability Rather Than a Flotation Device
• Look For, Read and Obey All Beach Safety Signs and Symbols
• Supervise children closely, even when lifeguards are present
• If caught in a rip current, swim sideways until free, don't swim against the current's pull
• Alcohol and swimming don't mix
• Protect your head, neck, and spine -- don't dive into unfamiliar waters -- feet first, first time
• If you are in trouble, call or wave for help
• Follow regulations and lifeguard directions
• Swim parallel to shore if you wish to swim long distances
• Scuba dive only if trained and certified -- and within the limits of your training
• No glass containers at the beach -- broken glass and bare feet don't mix
• No beach fires except in designated areas -- fire residue and superheated sand can severely burn bare feet -- use a barbeque that is elevated off the sand
• Report hazardous conditions to lifeguards or other beach management personnel
• Stay clear of coastal bluffs, they can collapse and cause injury
• Never turn your back to the ocean -- you may be swept off coastal bluffs or tide pool
areas and into the water by waves that can come without warning
• If In Doubt, Just Stay Out!

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Rip Currents

Rip currents are the most threatening natural hazard along our coast. They pull victims away from the beach. The United States Lifesaving Association has found that 80% of the rescues effected by ocean lifeguards involve saving those caught in rip currents.

A rip current is a seaward moving current that circulates water back to sea after it is pushed ashore by waves. Each wave accumulates water on shore creating seaward pressure. This pressure is released in an area with the least amount of resistance which is usually the deepest point along the ocean floor. Rip currents also exist in areas where the strength of the waves are weakened by objects such as rock jetties, piers, natural reefs, and even large groups of bathers. Rip currents often look like muddy rivers flowing away from shore.

Rip currents are sometimes mistakenly called "rip tides" or "undertows." These are misnomers. Rip currents are not directly associated with tides and they do not pull people under. Try to avoid swimming where rip currents are present, but if you become caught in a one, swim parallel to the shore until the pull stops and then swim back to shore. If you are unable to return to the beach, tread water and wave for lifeguard assistance.

Stay at least 100 feet away from piers and jetties. Rip currents often exist along the side of fixed objects in the water. Be aware of ocean conditions. Lifeguards are trained to identify potential hazards. Ask a lifeguard about the conditions before entering the water.

Fore more information regarding rip currents, visit the NOAA website - http://www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/

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Immediate First Aid Advice:

Shark Attack:
Control bleeding with pressure. Call 911 for an ambulance for transport to a medical facility for severe shark bites.

Jelly Fish:

Portuguese Man of War

SIGNS/SYMPTOMS: Stinging, burning, redness, swelling of lymph nodes. Long welt lines. Severe reactions: difficulty with breathing and cardiac arrest TREATMENT: Rinse the area liberally with seawater or fresh water to remove any tentacles stuck to the skin. This can be from a spray bottle or in a beach shower. Do not apply vinegar. A study shows that vinegar in these stings sometimes makes the sting worse. (Portuguese man-of-wars belong to a different family than box jellyfish and therefore must be treated separately.) For severe pain, try applying heat or cold, whichever feels better to the victim. life-threatening reactions is always a possibility. Some people are extremely sensitive to the venom; a few have allergic reactions. Consider even the slightest breathing difficulty, or altered level of consciousness, a medical emergency. Call for help and use automatic epinephrine injector if available. .

Stingray:

Wash the area with salt water. Remove any foreign material at the wound site. Contact an emergency room. Soak the wound in as hot of water as the patient can tolerate for 30-90 minutes, if instructed to do so.

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WARNING FLAGS:

Red:

No swimming allowed - Dangerous conditions. Usually this flag is up when there are extremely dangerous rip currents. Even the best of swimmers can be pulled out to sea if caught in a strong rip current, and unfortunately every year people die from them.

Yellow:

Swim with caution. Be cautious of strong long shore currents or other swimming hazards. Especially stay clear of piers or other obstructions that run perpendicular to the shore. These are the most common places for rip currents.

Green:

Safe swimming conditions. Swim with usual care. Do not use alcoholic beverages before you swim. Alcohol dehydrates your body and so does salt water and the sun. If you add all three of those together you can potentially get very sick, and worst case, even die.

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