JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The unofficial start of summer is here.
From beaches to lakes to swimming pools, a lot of people spent their Memorial Day weekend out on the waters.
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Action News Jax spoke with several beachgoers who didn’t waste time claiming their spot at Jacksonville Beach.
“We came early because we know how it gets on Memorial Day, so gotta prepare yourself when you get here,” Jacksonville resident Johnetta Flowers said.
With packed beaches and swimming pools comes a push for safety.
“I ain’t going past my waist. I’m gonna keep on the sand,” one beachgoer said.
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Former Jax Beach lifeguard Jack Young spoke with Action News Jax on Monday.
“Do not let your children go out there without watching them 100% of the time,” Young said.
Young brings his dogs to the beach twice a day, a place he describes as their “big backyard.”
In this “big backyard,” Young has seen it all on the waters.
“Going up to the lifeguards and asking them where the runouts are; that can save their life and their children,” Young said.
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We’re told you should look out for areas in the water that could pull you in if not careful.
“If they fight it, it’s not good,” Young said. “They can drown from doing that because they’ll get exhausted, especially people who don’t know the area around here. They have a tendency to panic.”
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Experts say it’s important to stay alert and to look out for those around you, especially children who may or know how to swim.
As they put it, life jackets save lives, a reminder authorities want to push, especially to those who will be out boating Monday.
Experts say drowning is the leading cause of unintentional deaths in children ages 1 to 4.
It can happen to anyone anytime they are around water.
“Don’t go out too far,” Jacksonville resident Megan Wallace said. “I tell my nieces and nephews that all the time, to the knees. They don’t listen all the time, but you have to be careful with this current out here. It can get serious.”
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