COCOA BEACH, Fla. — After two people died trying to save children from a rip current on Tuesday, officials are urging everyone to swim near a lifeguard.
The victims, a 42-year-old man from Connecticut and a 34-year-old woman from Ohio, were pulled from the water near South 5th Street. Both were pronounced dead at Cape Canaveral Hospital. Their names and connection to the children have not been released.
Cocoa Beach Fire Chief Justin Grimes says lifeguards prevent tragedies before they happen.
“Lifeguards can do something that we can’t do, and that’s preventative lifeguarding. And with preventative lifeguarding, they can make sure that you don’t get into a difficult position, get you out of dangerous situations,” Grimes said.
Rip currents can move five to eight miles per hour. Grimes warns that panic, not the current itself, is often what kills.
“If you do find yourself in a rip, God forbid it does happen, you need to relax. It’s usually not rip currents that kill people. It’s usually the panic and it’s usually the exhaustion that kill people. So we always say, swim parallel to shore,” Grimes said.
Tourists David Vivas and Xavier Gomez, visiting from Venezuela, say they now pay closer attention to beach safety signs.
“Maybe just taking more things, more careful whenever it comes to like going inside the water,” Vivas said.
When swimming at the beach:
- Swim near a lifeguard tower
- Check flag conditions before entering the water
- If caught in a rip: stay calm, float, swim parallel to shore, wave for help
- If you see someone in trouble: call 911 and give your exact location
Brevard County has five full-time lifeguard towers: Cocoa Beach Pier, Shepard Park, Lori Wilson Park, Minuteman Causeway, and Paradise/Futch Park in North Indialantic.
The National Weather Service says rip current risk remains high. Brevard County Ocean Rescue is recruiting and will hold tryouts Saturday at 6 a.m. at Rockledge High School pool.
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