JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – St. Johns County Fire Rescue reported 71 aquatic rescues this weekend -- 46 were for swimmers.
One of the rescues involved a man and a child who were caught in a rip current. Fortunately, people rushed in and were able to save the father and son, who had to be taken to the hospital after they were pulled from the water on Mickler Beach.
The weekend’s rescues have lifeguards reminding swimmers that even the most confident and strongest swimmers can be pulled into a rip current.
A moderate rip current risk is currently in effect along Florida’s Atlantic Coast from Nassau County all the way south to Port St. Lucie.
Capt. Rob Emahiser with Jacksonville Beach Ocean Rescue said he will make sure there are as many lifeguards as there possibly can be on the beach this Fourth of July.
He also encourages anyone planning to get in the water to make sure they are near a lifeguard station.
If you’re not near a lifeguard, be extra vigilant, especially if you’re at the beach with children, he said.
“If you’re going to have a group of people at the beach, or you’re alone with the kids, someone’s job has to be to watch the kids the whole time,” Emahiser said. “It’s a good idea to be within arm’s reach. It’s a little harder to lose your kids if you’re close to them.”
It’s also important to pay attention to flag colors at the beach. Each color represents how safe or dangerous water conditions are at that moment.
If you see a green flag that means the ocean is calm, a yellow flag is moderate ocean conditions, and a red flag means dangerous ocean conditions. A double red flag means no water activity is allowed.
You can click here to check the rip current risk in our area.