Lifeguards~ Do we need more? Drowning's up... (Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach: rentals, HOA)

[Summering]

I am reading today that there has been two more drowning's in Myrtle Beach.
This happened in the 48th street area.
There was also some drowning's in North Myrtle Beach this past week.
How sad it is to loose lives while they vacation on our shores. One man, not related to
the last drowning, died himself after trying rescue. Many people tried to save the swimmer.
The ocean was rough and wild.

We talk, as a family, many times about the lack of lifeguards. They are so far apart on the
beach that it seems a daunting task.

They walk the beach, and call people inwards, but then no one is on the stands looking for people
in distress.

I know in the Northern states beaches there is mostly always two lifeguards on the stands.
One to specifically look out over the ocean. The other may be there, or move about at the beach line.
You can see one stand from the other. One feels very protected.

We really don't need to loose these untrained hero's lives because we have no trained person to
do the rescue.

I am wondering how you feel, the vacationers and locals of Myrtle Beach.

What can we do or who can we ask to get more coverage on our beaches?

I'm willing to speak up....How do you feel about this important issue?

[CowDone]

There is no lifeguards really.

[Summering]

Well, we had one in front of us at the Surfside area and there was one down from that, but quite far.

So there is lifeguards but far apart. Maybe some beaches have none. I am not sure of that. If anyone can tell us more. I will try to look up some history of this.

[Summering]

Teenager drowns at Myrtle Beach while lifeguards rent furniture | Lifesaving Resources, LLC

This is a story from 2005 where the lifeguards were renting the umbrellas and chairs, their duel job while a young person drowned.

I did notice that they do have that extra job. How does one watch the waters for ocean victims while they rent out items?

This story is from years ago but it is still going on.

I really think that has to end on every beach here. The money earned from those rentals is not worth one life lost.

How do you feel Myrtle Beach vacationers and locals?

[crestliner]

Its a catch 22 for the county. If they publicise the dangers or put up dozens of warning signs it may scare away the tourist....NC has long been known for having more riptides than the general myrtle beach area.

[Summering]

Originally Posted by crestliner

Its a catch 22 for the county. If they publicise the dangers or put up dozens of warning signs it may scare away the tourist....NC has long been known for having more riptides than the general myrtle beach area.

Warning flags are fine and seem to work when we listen to what they show.

Lack of lifeguards is the issue. We need many more to keep people safe. They don't need the second job of renting chairs and umbrellas. That additional job is costing lives.

I admire and respect lifeguards but we need more at the beach its really urgent.

[Summering]

The front page of our Sun News has a whole article on the Lifeguards and lack thereof.

It seems there has been way too many drowning's in the Myrtle Beach to NC border areas.

A judge lost his life trying to save someone. A minister lost his life also, and there are so many more

young and old people drowning in our ocean.

The article mentions that it is a big problem worth working on. Its great they are talking about it but

the thoughts can't sit idol.

I could not sit back and let someone drown before me, but I am way past my lifeguard training days.

I hope the day never comes when I'd have to save someone...I lack the stamina now to fight the

currents, and the would be victim. ( as they tend to grab you and sink you while they panic.)

[sharmassy]

One of the reasons that the public has to pay beach fees to get on the beaches in the North is to employ well trained and well needed lifeguards to handle so many beachgoers . Literally thousands everyday at 2 and 3 mile stretches each. Lifeguard stands are 200 -300 feet apart and manned by at least 2 lifeguards in the stand and one on foot monitoring the shoreline. It's also their sole job, not renting out chairs and tents for extra money on the job.

Lifeguard agencies seeking USLA certification to adhere to the following principles:
“Lifeguards assigned to supervise an aquatic area shall not be subject to duties
that would distract or intrude their attention from proper observation of persons in the
waterfront area, or that prevent immediate assistance to persons in distress in the water.
Specifically, lifeguards assigned to water surveillance shall not be assigned to any duties
other than public safety” (USLA, 2000).

There are trade offs for free beaches, there's always a little bit of risk at the beach whether there are lifeguards or not.

[Summering]

I would think it could come from our Tourist Tax. Not sure of how that is divided up. Maybe someone else here would know. But, we have that huge group of tourist, from every state imaginable. We really need to increase the lifeguards, but I would not want to have pay beaches.

[tmozer]

In NJ, where we happen to be at the moment, the lifeguard rules are overkill. Any beach or public pool (including pools in HOA communities and gyms) must have a lifeguard on duty when it use. The indoor pool at Bally's Fitness I use daily is less then 5' deep and used only by adults. Yet the state requires a lifeguard present or the pool is closed. At our community pool the pool hours are limited since there must be a paid lifeguard on duty.

I much prefer the situation in SC and FL where it is "swim at your own risk".