SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — As we get into the summer month with more people enjoying the beaches, lifeguards share how quickly things can turn into a dangerous situation in the water.
According to the CDC, every year about 11 people die a day from a drowning. Lifeguards say things can turn deadly in a matter of seconds as rip currents aren’t easy to predict.
Chief James Gartland, with the San Diego Fire and Rescue says, “Surf comes in creates a channel in the bottom of the sand, then the channel goes more and more and starts to pull out, there's a sandbar that looks safe and then a rip current pulling westward. And a lot of time sin that rip current area waves aren't breaking because it's deeper and the waves are pulling out.”
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Lifeguard officials say much of their job deals with keeping people away from rip currents.
“Lifeguards spend the majority of the time moving people in and out of rip currents making warnings our motto is to observe, prevent, and then rescue,” said Gartland
Something they say beachgoers can also avoid by taking these extra precautions.
He adds, “When you go to the beach - you swim near the beach ask the lifeguard where the best place to swim is. If you aren't a good swimmer wear a properly fitted life jacket.”
