JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — This past weekend, lifeguards in Jacksonville Beach had their hands full with a record number of calls due to dangerous ocean conditions.
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As we head into a busy holiday season, Ocean Rescue wants to warn parents to pay attention to changing water conditions.
“I keep a close eye on him, because I mean he’s my little dude I can’t lose him,” Keisha Berry said. She was at the beach Wednesday with her son.
“That’s very important that you pay attention to the flags, and watch the news and see about the tides,” Berry said. She adds that she does not go in the water when there are red flags indicating dangerous water conditions.
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Jacksonville Beach Ocean Rescue had 56 calls for service on Saturday. They’re seeing a record number of calls for the month of June, according to a spokesperson. Thirty calls were water-related, mostly preventative measures.
“The number one call has been keeping people out of rip currents,” Captain Rob Emahiser with JBOC said.
There were also a few swimmers in distress. JBOC had 26 non-water related calls, mostly for vehicle patrols. There were two EMS-related calls and a missing person.
“When it’s this crowded, as we expect this weekend, it’s really easy to lose track of your kids,” Emahiser said. “It’s one of our most common calls on busy holidays.”
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Across the nation, we’re seeing a lifeguard shortage. We’re told JBOC will be adequately staffed for the holiday weekend.
“We are certainly short in total number, but we are going to be fully staffed this weekend,” Emahiser said.
For more information on beach and ocean safety, CLICK HERE. JBOC is also looking for lifeguards for summer 2023.
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