Beachgoers should aim to always swim in front of a lifeguard and use a flotation device to ensure a safe day in the sun, sand and water, says Panama City Beach's Wyatt Werneth.
As many Americans continue their Fourth of July festivities this weekend along our nation’s beaches and coastlines, lifeguards are reminding swimmers and land-goers alike of important, easy tips to keep you and your loved ones safe.
Rip currents, "that's our No. 1 problem on the beach," American Lifeguard Association spokesperson Wyatt Werneth said on "Varney & Co." Wednesday.
"For you at home, it's most important that you swim in front of a lifeguard. Your chances of drowning in front of a lifeguard are 1 in 18 million. We're out here to make sure you have a safe day," the Panama City Beach-based lifeguard added.
Rip currents are the No. 1 weather-related killer in Florida, leading to more than 30 deaths in 2023 alone.
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These hidden threats form when waves break near the shoreline, causing water to pile up and create a narrow, fast-flowing stream that swiftly carries swimmers away from shore, often catching them off guard.
"If you're coming to the beach, and you sit down, and the water surges up alongside of you or on the other side, that's the rip. That deep water is coming all the way in," Werneth explained. "So you want to avoid getting into that channel. It's like a little ditch. You have a sandbar on each side. You want to stay away from that."
"But your best bet is [to] find a lifeguard, and swim in front of that lifeguard," he continued.
Many inexperienced swimmers run into trouble by attempting to fight against the outgoing force of water instead of swimming parallel to the shoreline.
Most drownings along the state’s beaches are from out-of-state visitors who may not be well versed in the dangers of the ocean.
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Werneth highly recommended learning about the beach and water conditions before your visit and paying attention to the lifeguard tower flags and their color-coordinated meaning.
"We also want to recommend that people take a flotation device. We actually enacted a project here on the coast that we have, and we put these flotation devices up... where there aren't any lifeguards," he said. "Also, assign water watchers to look after the little ones."
FOX Weather’s Andrew Wulfeck contributed to this report.
