What Florida beach safety officials want you to know during fall break

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – This weekend marks the start of fall break for school districts across south central Kentucky, and many families will choose a sunny beach in the Gulf of Mexico for their week-long vacation.

The South Walton Fire District is asking fall tourists who will visit the Destin, 30A and Panama City Beach areas to be aware of important safety information while spending time on the beach.

SWFD beach safety director David Vaughan asks visitors to be “situationally aware” when on the beach.

Vaughan says, “Don’t be sign blind. It’s important to make note of the signage and location landmarks around you. With water rescue and emergency responses on the beach, time is of the essence. The faster we can find you, the better the outcome is going to be.”

Vaughan adds that it’s important to understand and obey beach flags, always swim near a lifeguard and know how to escape a rip current.

“Understand what a rip current is, and don’t panic if you find yourself caught in one. What kills people here is panic. Stay calm, cool and collected as much as possible, and call for help,” says Vaughan.

One of the most important things a parent can do to help their child in case of an emergency is to take a picture of them first thing, every day, on the beach.

“Take a picture of your kids as they are on the beach that day, so if they do get lost, you can share the image so we know what we’re looking for,” says Vaughan.

The South Walton Fire District also encourages visitors to opt into their text alert system while in town on vacation. You can receive immediate information about beach flag warnings. Test “safety” to 31279 to opt in, and “stop” to opt out when you leave town.

You can also find more information from the South Walton Fire District on social media through these links.