Aquatic Safety Assessment & Recommendations Alabama Gulf Coast · 2010 Aquatic Safety Assessment Alabama Gulf Coast Page 3 of 35 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Between 2006 and 2009 there were

Aquatic Safety Assessment & Recommendations

Alabama Gulf Coast

Authors

James Hamilton McCrady VJoe McManus

Bob WestMelvin Shepard

United States Lifesaving Association Southeast Region

Issued: March 17, 2010

2010 Aquatic Safety Assessment Alabama Gulf Coast Page 2 of 35

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...................................................................................................3INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................5

Report Authors ...................................................................................................................8Lifesaving in Baldwin County ..............................................................................................9

The City of Orange Beach ..............................................................................................9The City of Gulf Shores................................................................................................10Gulf State Park .............................................................................................................11

BEST PRACTICES COMPARED TO EXISTING SERVICES........................................12Public Education...........................................................................................................12

Separating Incompatible Activities ..................................................................................16Lifeguard Services ...........................................................................................................17

Benefits of Lifeguard Protection ..................................................................................18Periods of Operation .....................................................................................................19Area of Responsibility ..................................................................................................19Staffing Levels..............................................................................................................20Staffing Locations.........................................................................................................20Observation Points........................................................................................................21Breaks ...........................................................................................................................22Equipment.....................................................................................................................22Responsibility and Management...................................................................................23Recruitment and Retention of Lifeguards.....................................................................24

Oversight Options ............................................................................................................25Research ...........................................................................................................................25Jurisdictional Issues .........................................................................................................26

THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING A TOURIST ECONOMY ...............................27FUNDING OF AQUATIC SAFETY IN BALDWIN COUNTY .......................................29RECOMMENDATIONS ....................................................................................................31

Prevention Through Public Education .............................................................................31Emergency Services Planning and Management .............................................................32Lifeguard Staffing ............................................................................................................33Funding ............................................................................................................................34

RECOMMENDED REFERENCES....................................................................................35


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Between 2006 and 2009 there were sixteen (16) drowning deaths in the watersoff of beaches along the Alabama Gulf Coast. All of these tragic deaths happenedeither in areas where there were no open water trained lifeguards provided or at periodsof time when there were no lifeguards on duty. Of these deaths, thirteen (13) werevisitors who were either on vacation or in the area temporarily for work relatedreasons. The other three fatalities were residents of the area.

Drowning is a serious problem in coastal Alabama, which impacts residents andvisitors alike. For the victims, it can result in very serious injury or death. For familyand friends, it can result in loss of a loved one. For society, it can result in economicconsequences to families, the health system, and the tourism economy, since areputation for unsafe beaches can encourage tourists to go elsewhere.

Any untimely death or injury is a tragedy. However, these drowning deaths areparticularly tragic in that they occurred in a community where coastal recreation is thefocal point of life and a basis of a local economy dependent upon tourism. The trust ofthese visitors that they would be reasonably protected was violated.

There are a wide variety of methods that can be used to improve aquatic safety incoastal Alabama. To be successful, the issue must be addressed comprehensively.Public education is the first step. This includes education of residents, includinglearn-to-swim programs, and education of tourists. To be effective, public educationmust be pre-planned and implemented long before people visit aquatic areas.

Education alone will not prevent drowning. Some people will wish to swimregardless of the dangers, and even the best swimmers can be victims of drowning indangerous surf or current conditions. A proven way to prevent drowning is throughthe placement of professional lifeguard services in areas where people frequentlychoose to swim and during the months and times of the day to achieve maximalimpact. While beach lifeguards are presently provided in a few beach areas of theAlabama Gulf Coast, most beach areas have no protection whatsoever. A processmust therefore be implemented to identify the areas of greatest need and to takenecessary steps to make them safer. In coastal Alabama, this would includebeachfront areas offering public parking, municipal and state parks, popular publicaccess points, and beachside hotels, condominiums, and restaurants.

While the cost of providing lifeguard services has been raised as a concern, this is achallenge that must be met just as the cost of providing other public safety services(police, fire-rescue, EMS) has been addressed, since public safety is the mostfundamental expectation of citizens from government.

Leadership within the various government entities has indeed begun to emerge, andcity officials of both Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are beginning to demonstrate thepolitical will needed to push through measures that will ameliorate an ongoing and,perhaps, growing problem. Officials of the cities of Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, as


well as of Baldwin County and the State of Alabama, should work together inaddressing these issues.

By continuing the efforts to expand lifeguard services and by implementing the specificrecommendations found at the end of this report, local governments in coastal Alabamacan significantly reduce the incidence of drowning death and injury, while enhancingthe quality of life for residents and protecting a vibrant and growing tourist industry.


INTRODUCTION

The Alabama Gulf Coast predominantly lies within Baldwin County. Baldwin County hasjust over forty (40) miles of beachfront facing the Gulf of Mexico. Along the coast, there areapproximately twelve (12) maintained public beach access points that attract recreationalusers. These areas are located as follows: in the City of Orange Beach there are four (4)beachfront accesses that are state owned, in the City of Gulf Shores there are three (3)beachfront accesses that are state owned and five (5) that are owned by the City of GulfShores. There are seventy-two (72) private beach entries at hotels, resorts, andcondominiums in Orange Beach and fifty-two (52) private beach entries at hotels, resorts,and condominiums in Gulf Shores. Development is concentrated in the 14-mile stretchbetween the City of Orange Beach and the City of Gulf Shores.

The three government entities that maintain and manage beaches within this area are:Alabama Gulf State Park, the City of Gulf Shores, and the City of Orange Beach. Thelargest city on the barrier island, the City of Gulf Shores, is an established and well-knowntourist destination. In addition to the areas we visited during site assessments, there remainapproximately twenty (20) additional miles of beachfront to the west of Gulf Shores thatwas not visited, as well as the area within the Town of Dauphin Island, located in MobileCounty, which has also had a significant problem with drowning incidents.

According to Census 2000, the population of Baldwin County was officially recorded at140,415 residents. Because of its beaches, Baldwin County is a popular destination forvisitors from all over the nation and world. Tourism, as an industry impacting coastalAlabama, has contributed to the county’s explosive population growth since the 1990's.Today, out of Alabama's sixty-seven counties, Baldwin County remains one of the top threefastest growing in population and tourism.1

It is no wonder that it is popular with tourists, with some of the most beautiful white-sandbeaches anywhere in the world. Aquatic areas are an integral aspect of Baldwin County’srich offerings, but like all aquatic areas, they harbor hazards that can prove deadly. Suchhazards can be effectively minimized, but presently there appears to be no comprehensiveaquatic safety plan. Deadly drowning incidents are therefore an ongoing and an all toofrequent reality.

Coastal Baldwin County offers an extraordinary resource for aquatic recreation, for localresidents and tourists alike. The Alabama Tourism Department entices beachgoers byoffering, “Something magical happens when you visit the Alabama Gulf Coast. … Maybeit's the sound of waves gently lapping at the shore … Perhaps it's the white sand andsparkling emerald water of the Alabama beaches.” 2 Indeed, the Alabama Gulf CoastConvention & Visitors Bureau asks, “Wondering where to plant your beach umbrella? You'llfind a variety of public beaches in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama - each special in

1http://www.co.baldwin.al.us

2http://www.alabama.travel/things-to-do/activities/beaches/


its own way and each offering a different experience. Try 'em all and see which fits youbest.”3

From 2005 to 2009, Gulf Coast beaches in Baldwin County experienced numerous aquaticrelated injuries and deaths. In addition to the concern felt for the personal tragedy suffered bythe families of those impacted, there is ongoing concern both for the future safety of residentsand visitors, as well as the impact this issue may have on the tourism industry. With similarsurf conditions, and without adequate levels of lifeguard protection, these aquatic relateddeaths will continue unabated. This would undoubtedly have a negative impact on coastalBaldwin County’s tourism. It is more difficult to recover from a bad reputation than tomaintain a good one, and so it is with tourism. If the area garners a reputation for unsafebeaches, particularly in light of the enhancements to beach safety along the FloridaPanhandle beaches, it will take increasingly profound efforts to recover from a flaggingtourist economy.

At the request of Alabama State Representative Steve McMillan, United States LifesavingAssociation Southeast Region (USLA SER) members conducted an onsite aquatic safetyassessment, as Baldwin County is within USLA SER boundaries. This effort was spearheadedby USLA SER Advisor, Jim McCrady, and assisted by members of the Emerald CoastChapter (ECC) of USLA SER. All time, materials, and other expenses were covered either bythe USLA Southeast Region or by individuals involved. The Gulf Coast Convention andVisitors Bureau and Brett-Robinson donated accommodations and meeting rooms. Theirinterest and generosity is admirable and greatly appreciated.

The primary goal of this report is to assess the state of beach safety along the Gulf Coast ofAlabama and to recommend ways of reducing the incidence of drowning. The authors believethat any responsible community that promotes its beaches for tourism has an obligation toensure a reasonable degree of public safety on those beaches. In that regard, we agree with theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention, which has stated, “... if a communitydevelops water recreational facilities to attract patrons who spend money in the local area,then it can be argued that the community has an obligation to protect these patrons. Whenweighing the costs and legal implications of interventions to prevent drowning, decisionmakers should never lose sight of the enormous importance of protecting people from harmand preventing tragedy at beaches and pools, places where people go for pleasure, for health,and for solace.”4

While USLA SER tends to focus on the human tragedy of drowning, the authors are cognizantof the fact that improvements in beach safety will have very positive effects on tourism. Duringour on-site visits, meetings, and interviews, many participants expressed the desire to seemeaningful change in the level of public safety offered at Gulf front beaches – for bothreasons.5

3 http://www.gulfshores.com/things-to-do/beaches/4 Branche CM, Stewart S. (Editors). Lifeguard Effectiveness: A Report of the Working Group. Atlanta:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control; 2001.

5 Persons interviewed, as well as those who attended our forums, expressed near unanimity that the "problem”to be addressed was how to fund the provision of more lifeguards on an extended basis.


For reference, a partial list of those whom contributed to this report, or attended the BeachSafety Workshop conducted when the taskforce visited coastal Baldwin County in March,2008:

Steve McMillan – Alabama State Representative Trey Myers – Assistant Superintendent of Gulf State Park Pete Blalock – Mayor, City of Orange Beach Jeff Silvers – Council Member, City of Orange Beach Jeff Moon – City Administrator, City of Orange Beach Preston Pooser – Parks and Recreation Director, City of Orange Beach Forney Howard – Fire Chief, City of Orange Beach Billy Wilkens – Police Chief, City of Orange Beach Greg Duck – Assistant Police Chief, City of Orange Beach Harold Samples – Parks and Recreation Director, City of Gulf Shores Keith Martin – Fire Rescue, City of Gulf Shores Gary Wise – President ECC, Chief of Beach Safety, South Walton Fire District Joe D’Agostino – Vice-President ECC, Chief of Beach Safety, Destin Fire Control

District Felix Romero – Membership Director ECC, Destin Fire Control District Tracy Vause – Treasurer ECC, Chief of Beach Safety, Okaloosa County Public

Safety Dave Meadows – Secretary ECC, Sunset Beach Services Melvin Shepard –Aquatics Coordinator, City of Orange Beach; Alabama Panhandle

Representative for USLA Bob West – Development Committee ECC, Director of Public Safety, Santa Rosa

Island Authority (SRIA) Bill Soltz – Development Committee ECC Council Vaughan – Lifeguard Supervisor, SRIA W.A. “Buck” Lee – Executive Director, SRIA

This is not an official report of the United States Lifesaving Association (USLA). It is aneffort by the authors to provide those concerned about beach safety in Baldwin County withthe best available information and advice to achieve the goals of promoting public safety andlimiting liability exposure at Gulf front aquatic areas in and adjacent to its confines. It is based,in part, on prior reports issued to other communities in the United States by colleaguesaddressing similar issues. Past reports of this nature have resulted in very positive changes inbeach safety services in several communities. No advice or action can ensure 100% safety orprotection from drowning or subsequent liability, but prudent steps can greatly heighten thelevel of safety and also lessen liability exposure. Thus, this report is not intended to be awarranty, but rather it is the advice of professional open water lifesavers with a provenrecord in this discipline.


While this report contains both site-specific assessments and recommendations regardingenhancing safety on Gulf Coast beaches in Alabama, much of this report is intended to raisethe general reader’s understanding of all aspects of a comprehensive drowning preventionstrategy.

Report Authors

James Hamilton McCrady V ([email protected]) has been involved in aquaticsafety for over 25 years. He is Advisor to the Southeast Region of the United StatesLifesaving Association, and he has held the regional offices of President, Vice President,and Secretary. He serves as a Lieutenant/EMT for Fort Lauderdale Ocean Rescue. Lt.McCrady has been a presenter at National Drowning Prevention Coalition’s NationalSymposium (2006), the Florida State Beach Safety Educational Workshop (2005), andserved on the authoring committee of the “USLA Open-Water Swim Race & TriathlonSafety Guidelines (2004),” and “Training and Equipment Guidelines for Rescuers UsingPersonal Watercraft as a Rescue Tool (2004).”

Joe McManus ([email protected]) serves as President of the Southeast Region ofthe United States Lifesaving Association (www.uslaser.org) and as Vice-President ofUSLA (www.usla.org). Joe is a Lieutenant/EMT for Indian River County Ocean Rescue,Florida. He is President of the Florida Open Water Lifesaving Constituency Group,which is a member of the Department of Health, Bureau of Emergency Services’Advisory Council.

Bob West serves as Vice-President of the Emerald Coast Chapter of USLA and is Directorof Public Safety for the Santa Rosa Island Authority.

Melvin R. Shepard Jr. is a native of coastal Alabama and has been involved in aquatics for10 years. He is currently the Aquatics Coordinator for the City of Orange Beach and avolunteer for the United States Lifesaving Association as a Regional Training Officer andthe Alabama Panhandle Representative. He is a Lifeguard Instructor, Water SafetyInstructor and CPR/First Aid Instructor Trainer for the American Red Cross.

NOTE: This report has been excerpted, in part, and adapted from the Aquatic SafetyAssessment & Recommendations for Santa Rosa Island, Destin, and Brevard County,Florida, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, published by USLA members faced withsimilar issues. B. Chris Brewster was a major contributor to the information found in each ofthose reports.


LIFESAVING IN BALDWIN COUNTY

The City of Orange Beach

The City of Orange Beach posts no lifeguards at the public beaches within its boundaries. Areason given for this by local officials is that public access points for beaches located withincity limits are owned by the State of Alabama. No law or regulation, of which the authorsare aware, would prevent Orange Beach from offering lifeguard protection. Orange Beachsafety personnel respond to emergency calls to these beaches for swimmers in distress andother medical-related injuries through the 9-1-1 emergency call system.

The City of Orange Beach sought involvement with USLA in 2005, after three city firefighters nearly died while responding to a “swimmer in distress” call. The event occurred inApril of 2004; the surf was rough and the fire fighters were not optimally trained for thissituation. As they entered the water to rescue the victims, they too were caught in ripcurrents and needed to be rescued.

After this near-tragic event, the City of Orange Beach contacted Jim McCrady, thenpresident for the Southeast Region of USLA, to get information regarding aquatic safetytraining. A surf lifesaving academy, sponsored by the City of Orange Beach, was scheduledfor March of 2005. Many fire fighters and city lifeguards attended the week-long academy.

Since then, the City of Orange Beach has hosted three USLA Surf Lifesaving Academies,which were presented by Training Officers from the USLA Southeast Region. Additionally,Orange Beach has sent three lifeguards through the USLA Southeast Region TrainingOfficers Academy in South Florida.

The Orange Beach Aquatics Coordinator, with assistance from the Aquatics Manager of theCity of Orange Beach Parks and Recreation Department, maintains a beach flag warningsystem seven days a week throughout the year, maintains a voice recorded phone system fordaily surf conditions, provides information to a local radio station which broadcasts a dailysurf report, and works with the media to help inform beach goers about any dangerousconditions. Additionally, City Aquatics staff provides beach-safety presentations to localschoolchildren.

In the summer of 2009, the City of Orange Beach started a Beach Patrol that utilizesAquatics Center lifeguards who have successfully completed the USLA Southeast RegionSurf Lifesaving Academy. Their task is to patrol the near seven (7) miles of beachfront inOrange Beach and respond to swimmer in distress calls, as well as various other emergencycalls.

At the present time when a “swimmer in distress” call is sent out, the Fire Departmentresponds to these calls. The Orange Beach Parks and Recreation Department has expressedan interest in coordinating aquatic emergency response with surf-trained lifeguards as well.


The City of Gulf Shores

Lifesaving began in the City of Gulf Shores in the 1950’s. The city stationed “BeachAttendants”6 at the main Public Beach area, which is still guarded today. The Gulf Shoreslifesaving operation has grown over the years and today they staff six (6) towers and staffthe beach with ten (10) seasonal beach attendants. There are six public beach accesseswithin city limits; four of these areas have restroom facilities and vending machines.

The city uses a Beach Warning Flag system and Rip Current Safety signs to help informbeachgoers of the dangers in the gulf, and this system is consistent with that recommendedby the International Life Saving Federation. It also uses an automated phone system thatgives daily surf conditions for the public beach. Beach attendants work under the Parks andRecreation Department, and staff the beach from March 1 until Labor Day. BeachAttendants are deployed to fixed locations seven days per week from the end of May untilLabor Day, 9 am until 7pm, except on “red flag” days, when beach attendants are presentuntil sunset.

In 2008, beach attendants received an emergency response vehicle and a new personalwatercraft, in addition to an ATV that is used to transport equipment and assist beachpatrons during an emergency. They utilize basic life support medical equipment, includingoxygen delivery and AEDs. There is a nationally certified EMT employed to work the beach,as well as two USLA Southeast Region trained Training Officers. The beach attendantsrespond to all distress calls that occur along the beach in Gulf Shores, while they are on duty.Additionally, they provide mutual aid to the beach attendants at the Gulf State Park BeachPavilion.

Many of the lifesavers in Gulf Shores have attended a USLA Southeast Region Academy inthe past. In fact, the City contacted USLA Southeast Region in 2004 to have instructorsteach an academy for their employees. Since then they have sent beach attendants throughthe training every year. The Parks and Recreation Department is making great strides to helpensure the safety of everyone who uses their beaches for recreation and enjoyment. Thispast year they sent four beach attendants through the USLA Southeast Region PWCoperator’s course taught in Orange Beach, and they intend to send additional beachattendants through future courses.

Recently, Mayor Robert Craft announced the city’s plan to expand lifeguard coverage in2010. The mayor reportedly stated, "We're not, at this time, going to be able to patrol thewhole beach, but in this high density area where you've got a majority of the people, we cando a better job than we've been doing."7 Plans include the additions of a tower, beachattendants and a personal watercraft for the 2010 season. The tower and PWC will be placedat the Callaway Pass to the west of the main guarded beach. This is an area that has loggedseveral drowning deaths in the past. In addition, safety planners intend to utilize a JohnDeere Gator for daily patrol of unguarded beaches.

6 “Beach Attendant” is a job title given to an employee who otherwise performs duties that are consistent withthose of a lifeguard.7 Press Register, December 12, 2009 http://blog.al.com/live/2009/12/gulf_shores_to_add_lifeguards.html


The authors of this report applaud the mayor’s position and encourage the maximalexpansion of services in those areas with a well documented drowning history.

Gulf State Park

Gulf State Park has, for many years, employed beach attendants at the Gulf State ParkBeach Pavilion which is located between the cities of Orange Beach and Gulf Shores. Thisbeach is roughly 2,000 feet in length. State employed beach attendants are required to becertified lifeguards through the American Red Cross and must possess CPR and First Aidcertificates as well. The employer accepts a Southeast Region USLA Lifesaving Academycompletion certificate in lieu of other aquatic safety certificates.

There are three (3) stands from which the beach attendants provide coverage. The attendantsutilize rescue boards and other rescue equipment for emergencies. In addition, they use anATV for transporting equipment and patrolling the beach area.

Gulf State Park has incorporated a Beach Flag Warning system, which is consistent withthat recommended by the International Life Saving Federation.

The Alabama State Legislature envisions a time when there will be a hotel/conventioncenter complex within Gulf State Park and has passed a bill to that end.8 This act isconsistent with increased tourism marketing efforts currently underway.

8 Code of Alabama Chapter 9 Title 14B Section 9-14B-1


BEST PRACTICES COMPARED TO EXISTING SERVICES

To achieve the greatest possible degree of success, particularly in the relatively uncontrollednatural environment of surf beaches, the promotion of aquatic safety should be approachedin the broadest possible manner. This includes taking steps to educate people prior to visitinga beach area about potential hazards and methods to mitigate them; taking steps on-site toprovide similar information; taking reasonable steps to promote safe behavior at thelocation; maintaining a system to recognize and respond effectively to emergencies in atimely manner; and preparing to treat and evacuate injured people professionally andexpeditiously. Such steps are ideally taken as a collaborative effort with all concernedindividuals and organizations likely to offer meaningful support.

Public Education

One of the most cost effective ways of promoting aquatic safety is through public educationbefore the visitor ever arrives at an aquatic venue. Once the visitor arrives, additional publiceducation efforts can further enhance public safety. In both cases, a variety of strategies canbe employed. In addition to the direct benefit of enhancing public safety, these strategies canproduce excellent public relations benefits for the community.

Learn-to-Swim Programs

The International Life Saving Federation has found that learn-to-swim programsmeaningfully improve the safety of a population.9 Locally, the promotion of learn-to-swimprograms for youth and adults will result in a higher number of people in the communitywith swimming skills. If the curriculum is appropriately tailored, such training will includesteps students can take to avoid injury from aquatic hazards to themselves and others.

In a community with a large expanse of accessible open water, learn-to-swim programsshould include basic information about rip currents, which have been demonstrated by theUSLA to be the cause of over 80% of rescues from drowning by lifeguards at surf beaches.Even accomplished swimmers can be overpowered by rip currents, so merely teachingpeople to swim is an inadequate approach. They must also be instructed about activities andcircumstances that can threaten their safety and how to avoid them (or extricate themselvesfrom them). Training courses should be adjusted to address the hazards that have causeddrowning deaths.

Learning to swim enhances quality of life for those who learn and their families. People withswimming skills are safer, have access to a variety of jobs that require swimming, haveexpanded recreational opportunities, and likely live more active and healthier lives.

9 Position Statement: Swimming and Water Safety Education; International Life Saving Federation; 2007


Junior Lifeguard Programs

Many lifeguard agencies throughout the United States sponsor junior lifeguard programs.These programs are typically well received in the local community, exposing youth to watersafety information and a taste of what it is like to be a lifeguard. Junior lifeguards provide anexcellent potential resource for future employed lifeguards, and thus the programs can beconsidered, in part, a recruiting tool. The City of Orange Beach operates a junior lifeguardprogram; three instructors are dedicated solely to the program which averages 35 participantsper year. The City of Gulf Shores is encouraged to operate a similar program.

Most junior lifeguard programs with which we are familiar are self-funded, throughtuition. Some even help raise revenue for the sponsoring organization. Some junior lifeguardprograms in the United States have in excess of 1,000 participants each year and have beensuccessfully providing services to their communities for decades. Tuition can be charged tothose able to pay and scholarships can be offered to those unable to pay. This can greatlybroaden youth aquatic safety in a community.

Off-Site Public Education

A variety of strategies can be employed to educate both local residents and visitors regardingaquatic safety. As previously mentioned, thirteen of the victims of drowning in BaldwinCounty between 2006 and 2009 were tourists, so targeting this group would be of particularvalue.

Public service advertising can be utilized. Radio, television, billboard, newspaper, and phonebook advertising are some examples. A simple example of the type of information thatcould be provided is the location and hours of beaches with lifeguard protection andencouragement to swim only in lifeguard protected areas.

For tourists, brochures placed in hotel rooms and welcome videos can be effective approachesto education. Advisory materials can be downloaded and copied from the USLA/NOAA ripcurrent education program and provided to Gulf front businesses.10

Local government websites can provide information about lifeguard tower locations withdates and times lifeguards are on duty. The site could include water safety tips. Tourismwebsites can reach visitors pre-arrival and act as a reference for tourist industry employees.Providing local government and business employees who are likely to come in contact withtourists with basic aquatic safety information is also of great value. These personnel, thoughrarely experts in aquatic safety, may often be asked for water safety information, such as,“Where’s the safest place to swim?” They need to be prepared to provide clear, accurateadvice or refer inquiries to more authoritative sources of information.

Recorded beach safety telephone information lines are another way to disseminateinformation. If updated at least daily, preferably in the early morning, as well as accordingto condition changes, such lines can provide valuable safety information, basic weather,tides, and referrals. Telephone information lines can be a useful reference for tourism industry

10 http://www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/


employees, as well as all beach users. Services of this nature can be very popular in acommunity and provide an opportunity to weave safety advice into the daily updates.Examples can be heard at 619-221-8824 and at 954-828-4597.

Lifeguard agency staffs from all over the country have been engaged in various beach safetyprojects throughout their local school districts for years. These projects include regular visitsby surf-trained lifeguards to elementary, middle and high schools, conducting assemblies ondrowning prevention and participating in career days. Meeting with area hoteliers, churchgroups, and homeowner’s associations will undoubtedly help educate countless numbers ofresidents and visitors. However, a single employee or designee cannot shoulder thisresponsibility, as one person cannot adequately address all the needs for public safetyeducation. This must be a community initiative to ensure the proper education and protectionof beach visitors.

On-Site Passive Public Education

On-site, passive public education includes flags, signs, and similar approaches intended toinform the visitor. While these measures may appease liability exposure concerns, theireffectiveness at preventing injury and death is unproven. Some prudent peopleundoubtedly observe them and adhere to the admonitions, thus lessening the likelihood ofencountering problems. Others may not see them at all. Some may observe them, but ignorethe message. Still others may observe them, but fail to understand them, or simply forget themessage. Nevertheless, providing useful and understandable information undoubtedly hassafety and liability protection benefits.

Flags

Local governments in Baldwin County have employed a beach warning flag system in aneffort to advise the public of the relative danger of gulf conditions. These flags are intendedto provide general information on ocean conditions at the time they are flown. But flags areflown on both guarded and unguarded beaches, inconsistent with recommendations of theInternational Life Saving Federation.

Flags alone are of limited value, as has been demonstrated by drowning deaths and near deathsthat have occurred despite their presence. While flags can help notify beach users of generalconditions, they do not identify specific problems in specific areas.

To be fully effective, the placement of warning flags and all public serviceannouncements should be based on some measurable criteria that can be logged, tracked,and changed with the conditions. Lifeguard presence is needed to accomplish this on-siteeducation strategy. The United States Lifesaving Association recognizes the positionstatement on use of warning flags, which is published by the International Life SavingFederation (ILS) and thus applicable worldwide.

ILS states, “Because of the need to be present to monitor the conditions, and possibly tochange flags, these systems should only operate during a prescribed and well publicizedperiod each day… Flags may help reduce the incidence of injury and drowning, but cannotassist those in distress. Therefore, these flags are only to be used on beaches where


lifesavers qualified to USLA/ILS standards are on duty. Flags are not an acceptablesubstitute for properly trained and equipped rescuers, but rather a tool for their use.” 11

Signs

Beach signs typically explain beach and water ordinances. They can also be used toexplain known hazards and to recommend safe behavior. As an example, since a commonhazard at all ocean beaches is the presence of rip currents, placing a sign that explains thishazard and how to extricate oneself in the absence of a lifeguard may save lives. The UnitedStates Lifesaving Association and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrationhave jointly developed signs for placement at ocean beaches. Like flags, however, signsalone are of limited value.

In Baldwin County, local municipal, county and state government entities have had apositive impact by placing beach safety signs at most public accesses along the coast. Thesesigns are consistently maintained throughout the year by city and park staff and areundoubtedly observed by many beach-goers. These signs have been supplemented atmost beach access points with the aforementioned USLA/NOAA signs.

On-Site Active Public Education

The concept of on-site active public education refers to on-site personnel who inform visitorsabout rules and safe practices. They can also intervene when behavior threatens public safety.In the beach environment, lifeguards would generally be most effective. This is because thelifeguard can, in addition to other services, provide aquatic rescue services to preventdrowning.

With respect to drowning prevention, the United States Lifesaving Association estimates thetypical lifeguard effects at least 100 preventive actions for every effected rescue. A typicalpreventive action involves warning swimmers to move away from an area where a ripcurrent is forming. Preventive actions may also be beach oriented, such as moving peoplethrowing a ball away from crowded areas where they may run into others. This critical roleof lifeguards enhances the experience of beachgoers, while reducing the number of injuries,deaths, and rescues that must be performed.

11 See: http://www.ilsf.org/index.php?q=en/rescue/iso-standards-beach-safety-information-flags


Separating Incompatible Activities

There are a wide variety of activities practiced at aquatic areas. These activities are sometimesincompatible. Conflicts can arise and these may escalate into disputes that can threatenpublic safety. An effective practice in promoting beach and water safety is taking steps toseparate incompatible activities. An obvious example of incompatible activities is surfingand swimming. A swimmer can easily be injured or even killed by a surfboard, so it isimportant to separate these activities to the greatest extent possible. Other potentiallyincompatible activities include fishing and swimming. It is critical to separate jet-skisfrom swimmers. Lifeguards are usually in a position to evaluate these issues and manageactivities both in the water and on the beach. This can reduce the potential for injury andliability. This management can also greatly enhance the enjoyment of visitors.

A review of Baldwin County, Orange Beach, and Gulf Shores ordinances related to beachand marine activities shows that prohibitions exist as to alcohol consumption and bringinganimals onto beaches. An Orange Beach ordinance regulates the use of jet skis and otherpersonal water craft under the legislative intent to “promote the public safety, health andwelfare of the citizens of the city and the tourists and guests visiting or vacationing in thecity; to protect the lives and limbs of those persons bathing, surfing, wading or swimming inthe Gulf of Mexico.”12 While this ordinance shows the municipality’s intent to providesafety measures, there is no legislation that addresses the real problem of drowning onbeaches within city limits.

There are trends and developments in the recreational use of the beach and gulfenvironment that may warrant further beach safety legislative action. Examples of thismight include ordinances to regulate surfing, kite-surfing and skim boarding activities. Theintent is not to restrict enjoyment of the coastline, but to ensure that activities practiced byone person do not unduly endanger others and that prudent safety practices are in place.

12 City of Orange Beach Code of Ordinances Section 78.21


Lifeguard Services

Public education and separating incompatible activities can be expected to reduce theincidence of injury and death, perhaps markedly. They certainly demonstrate a sincerecommunity effort to protect residents and tourists alike. These actions alone, however, willnot prevent drowning. In this regard, they can be compared to public education regarding safedriving practices or fire prevention. No matter how much funding is devoted to these efforts,traffic and fire deaths still occur daily in the U.S. In fact, drowning deaths are more prevalentthan fire deaths;13 hence, in addition to public education, communities provide police,firefighters, and emergency medical services.

Despite best efforts, some will not be exposed to aquatic safety related public education.Others will ignore it. Still others, despite being knowledgeable, will overestimate theircapabilities or simply be overwhelmed by unexpected water conditions. They may fall intothe water or be aboard a vessel that sinks. Medical problems, like heart attacks and seizures,can strike swimmers unexpectedly and cause immediate, life threatening problems,regardless of water conditions. Children are particularly susceptible. Drowning is thesecond leading cause of injury-related death for children in the U.S. (aged 1 through 14years), accounting for 746 deaths in 2005.14 Moreover, many people who die from drowningare would-be rescuers who felt compelled to assist others in the absence of the availabilityof professional rescuers.

In 2009, 22 ocean lifeguard agencies in the Southeast Region reported to USLA that theyhad performed over 6,000 rescues from drowning.15 By and large, these rescues take placein municipalities with strong public education programs and waterfront managementsystems in place. Absent the availability of lifeguards, many of these incidents of distress inthe water would have unquestionably resulted in death. As well, these same agencies reportedthat they had performed over 57,000 medical aids, over 500 of which required medicalassistance beyond first aid (i.e. typically ambulance transport and hospital treatment).

Without lifeguards on duty, many of those injured would have suffered needlessly andsome would certainly have died. Moreover, the presence of on-site lifeguards undoubtedlyreduced the number of ambulance emergency runs in response to minor, non-life-threateningbeach related incidents, thus preserving the immediate availability of this critical resource forother emergencies in the community.

Statistics kept by the United States Lifesaving Association demonstrate that the chance of adrowning death in an area under the protection of lifeguards affiliated with USLA is 1 in 18million. Clearly, lifeguards can significantly enhance public safety. Even in areas with veryhigh, year-round beach attendance, like Hollywood or Daytona Beach, when lifeguardstrained to USLA standards are on duty, drowning deaths are extremely rare.

13 Nationally, in 2005, there were approximately 900 more drowning deaths than fire related deaths of peoplebetween the ages of 1 and 65. (See http://www.cdc.gov.ncipc/wisqars/)14 ibid15 See United States Lifesaving Association http://www.usla.org/Statistics/public.asp (accessed 1/03/10)


Benefits of Lifeguard Protection

Only a small portion of Baldwin County’s coastline is protected by lifeguards, and inlifeguard protected areas there are variances in the ways lifeguards are deployed. Some ofthe beaches with the lowest apparent hazard levels have relatively extensive lifeguardprotection, while the beaches with the greatest hazards have none. This is a result of thearea’s different jurisdictions and the policies of the respective government agenciesresponsible for safety oversight.

The Centers for Disease Control Lifeguard Effectiveness report states, “Most drownings arepreventable through a variety of strategies, one of which is to provide lifeguards in publicareas where people are known to swim and to encourage people to swim in those protectedareas.” 16 When beaches are staffed with lifeguards, a number of considerations areimportant. The lifeguards must be qualified, trained, equipped, and staffed to a level that isadequate to ensure a suitable level of safety, both for the general public and for the lifeguardsthemselves. A clear chain of command for responses to aquatic emergencies must be in place.This establishes who is in charge at emergency scenes, what backup resources are available,and the roles of all parties involved.

USLA has developed a comprehensive program that addresses minimum recommendedqualifications, training, and equipment for beach lifeguard agencies. The program is outlinedin the publication, Guidelines for Open Water Lifeguard Agency Certification, which isavailable at no cost from the Certification section of the USLA website.17 USLA promulgatesthe only national certification program for ocean lifeguard services in the United States.Currently, there is no lifeguard agency in the state of Alabama that holds a USLA agencycertification.

USLA also promulgates a companion national certification program for non-lifeguardresponders to ocean rescues, which is designed for firefighters, sheriff deputies, andothers who respond to these incidents. This program is outlined in the publication, Training& Standards of Aquatic Rescue Response Teams, which is also available at no cost from theCertification section of the USLA website. Neither the Orange Beach Fire RescueDepartment, nor any other in the county, is certified to the standards contained within thisprogram.

There have been concerns raised, in light of the recent drowning death numbers, about theefficacy of fire departments responding to open-water rip current emergencies. Some of theauthors of this report conducted an on-site review of the Orange Beach Fire/Ocean Rescueoperation and found the operation was very professional, and could be in compliancewith the standards of the USLA ARRT program, should they decide to move in thatdirection. It should be noted, however, that the USLA agency certification program(Lifeguard or ARRT) does not address periods of operation, hours of coverage, or minimumstaffing levels for an agency. These are left to be determined on a local level according to awide variety of factors and they are indeed critical to the effectiveness of the agency.

16 http://www.usla.org/PublicInfo/library/CDC_Lifeguard_Effectiveness_Report.pdf17 http://www.usla.org/Train%2BCert/


Periods of Operation

Perhaps the best first step in providing adequate lifeguard coverage is to determine the datesof operation and the hours that the beach will be actively guarded. Most coastal lifeguardagencies in Florida operate 365 days a year, for at least eight hours per day. Some agencies inFlorida and in other parts of the United States utilize staggered shifts and 10-hour shifts toensure that lifeguards are on duty during the hours that people are present on the beach.

The City of Gulf Shores offers “seasonal” lifeguard coverage to its residents and tourists. It isnot clear what yardstick the city uses to measure its beach season. There appears to be acorrelation to the Baldwin County school year, but there are no objective data (localordinance or departmental policy statements) to support this. In Gulf Shores, it also appearsthat the tradition of providing lifeguard protection to a limited “summer” season hasbeen adhered to despite the fact that other lifeguard agencies located along the northernGulf Coast have found extended service essential to optimally protect the swimming public.The spring and fall “shoulder” seasons typically have significantly greater likelihood of surf.In addition, the locate climate and Gulf temperature stays relatively warm well into October.

Public records of emergency service departments in Baldwin County show that firefightersand police officers have responded to swimmer in distress calls during non-summer monthswhen there are no lifeguards employed. This is likely due to the fact that the formation of ripcurrents is a conditions-driven danger that is wholly unaffected by the number of people onthe beach. When weather systems, some hundreds of miles from shore, lead to groundswelldevelopment or when local storms produce currents and bottom movement occurs,swimmers and even waders (including surf and inlet fishermen) are vulnerable. Oftenswimmers get into trouble just a few feet from the shore where conditions may appear to besafe. This illusion may tempt “good Samaritan” rescuers to act, which multiplies the numberof persons at risk. Many overestimate their abilities. In Baldwin County, as in other areas ofAlabama, these factors, coupled with mild climate and warm water temperature, make theocean both an appealing and dangerous place for much of the year.

Area of Responsibility

The next step in providing adequate lifeguard coverage is to determine the area for whichlifeguards should be responsible. Ideally, lifeguards should be positioned wherever peopleare known to swim. If costs to accomplish this are considered prohibitive, then prioritizingcoverage at areas with the greatest need is the next best option. By evaluating existing areasregularly for changes in usage or development of high hazard, by providing protection whereit is needed, and by encouraging swimmers to swim in protected areas, lifeguard agenciesmark progress toward providing reasonable levels of aquatic safety. The protected areasshould be in areas people are most likely to swim, where infrastructure and attractions existthat make it convenient to swim, where unusual hazards exist, and where historical incidentsdemonstrate a need. Existence of these protected areas should be made clear. Encouragingpeople to “swim near a lifeguard” is an excellent approach, but people are not likely to travelfar to find lifeguard protection. If the goal is drowning prevention, lifeguard services mustbe placed conveniently, where people are known to swim and are likely to swim.


The City of Gulf Shores has chosen to provide lifeguard protection at locations thatgenerally fall within the boundaries of the city park. Oceanfront parks are an obvious andessential place to provide lifeguard protection. If it is the goal of the County or State toprevent drowning, they should target areas where people congregate to swim, regardless ofjurisdictional issues.

Spacing of lifeguard stands is a factor in providing for overlapping surveillance andemergency backup. This spacing is often determined by the response time that it takes toperform a successful intervention. It has been reported that large crowds flock to the beachthroughout the area. As a result of the spacing of lifeguards in widely separated areas ofresponsibility, almost all of Alabama’s 40-miles of coastline are virtually unprotected. Thepredominant reason we heard during our meetings for the sparse coverage was the cost ofproviding more lifeguards.

Staffing Levels

Staffing levels should be appropriate to attendance and conditions while providing forpublic safety in a manner consistent with user demand. Such responsibility should not be leftwith a single lifeguard. Lifeguards work more effectively in teams, both for economy ofeffort and personal safety. This is especially important in areas where great distances separatecrowded beach areas, as is the case in Baldwin County. These teams and/or sites should bemanaged through a central administration capable of providing necessary oversight,relief, backup, and resources.

The number of lifeguards employed by an agency should be adequate to preventdrowning death and to effectively handle other emergencies, regardless of fluctuations inattendance and conditions. The agency must therefore fund an operation that is flexibleenough to vary staffing according to anticipated fluctuations, in each factor, regardless of thetime of year. The effectiveness of this strategy rests upon the presumption that the agencywill implement sound policy regarding periods of operation and area of responsibility.

A committed, experienced workforce is highly desirable for a public safety operation, notleast because it provides the manager with the operational stability to meet contingencies,but also because the public expects it. This is the norm around the country, even in areas thataugment year-round staffing with seasonal and part time personnel.

Staffing Locations

Even a casual observer will note that beach users tend to congregate in certain areas.Wherever there is beach parking, for example, a higher level of beach attendance will benoted nearby. Most people tend not to walk far from where they have parked. The proximityof restaurants and restrooms are also factors that contribute to the choices people make inthis regard. People will seek beach access near these attractions for convenience sake.Most people staying at a beachside hotel will use the water directly in front of these hotels,rather than walk or drive any significant distance to find lifeguard protection. Amenitiesprovided by a hotel, such as lounge chairs, enhance visitor comfort and this maydiscourage movement to lifeguard protected areas.


As previously noted, the flexibility provided by adequate staffing levels is an essentialcomponent of successful management of a public safety agency. The fact that tourists arestaying in area hotels and are eating in area restaurants should come as no surprise to beachsafety officials. The fact that these same people will access and utilize the beach closest tothese attractions, quite often with tragic results, should prompt officials to evaluate theseareas as potential staffing locations.

Through public information campaigns, people can and should be encouraged to swim onlywhere lifeguards are on duty. The effort to protect people will only be fully successful,however, when lifeguards are placed at spots where people are likely to gather. Concernsabout property ownership, liability, and indemnification related to lifeguard protection couldbe addressed by contractual relationships between the state, county, the municipalities, andprivate businesses. In any event, it is not unusual to find publicly funded lifeguard stands infront of hotels, condominiums, or restaurants throughout the region and elsewhere in thecountry. Just as firefighters and police respond on a constant basis to incidents on privateproperty, in an effort to protect life and property, lifeguards should be staffed where neededto protect public safety.

History can also provide a guide to the location of lifeguards. Records of past drowningdeaths and near deaths can help pinpoint areas where future problems may develop. Completereliance on such figures is to be discouraged. Among other things, it is a reactive, rather thanproactive approach to drowning prevention. However, ignoring history is foolish.

Over the past three years, coastal drowning deaths have been reported in Alabama at a rate ofabout 4-7 per year. As a majority of these incidents have taken place outside of guardedareas, or during times when lifeguards have not been assigned, it would appear that countyofficials are facing a long-term problem that suggests the need for a change in each of thefundamental elements mentioned thus far.

Observation Points

The primary tool lifeguards use to maintain water safety is observation. Lifeguardobservation points must have a clear and unobstructed view of the area of supervision.Lifeguard observation towers are ideally elevated (the higher the better within reason)and provide the lifeguard with protection from the elements. They should include adequatespace to allow the lifeguard to stand and move while observing the water, and a place fornecessary rescue and first aid equipment. The design of a lifeguard tower should include away to respond on foot to a rescue without breaking observation of the swimmer in distress.

Enclosed lifeguard towers provide lifeguards with an effective and safe observation point,while they demonstrate to the public that the area is, indeed, guarded. The enclosed towermodel provides a focal point that stands out on a crowded beach and projects an image ofsecurity to the beach patron. Although it is commonly utilized throughout the region and therest of the country, there are no enclosed lifeguard towers anywhere in Baldwin County.Backup

Like police officers and firefighters, lifeguards often need backup. Sometimes, multiplevictims are swept offshore in a rip current all at once. Major medical cases in the vicinity


may require several lifeguards to effectively handle the incident. While these incidents arebeing attended to, the goal is to maintain water observation and to provide emergencyresponse to others in need. Backup lifeguards should be available to assume waterobservation when the lifeguard assigned thereto is otherwise engaged. Backup staffing levelsshould be adequate to address problems that can reasonably be expected to arise.

With great distances between lifeguard stands, there is the likelihood that a supervisor maynot be in a location where immediate backup is needed. Lifeguard supervisors should be ableto travel between guarded locations via all terrain vehicles. These vehicles should beequipped with basic life support medical aid equipment, and emergency lights or sirens.

Response time for backup is affected by variable conditions including: the position of thesupervisor at the time of the call, the size of the crowd, the presence of natural and manmadeobstructions, and the speed of the vehicle. If lifeguards are spaced too far apart, thesupervisor in an emergency might be expected to respond great distances on an ATV withlights and siren. The fastest response, in this case, might be too long to provide meaningfulbackup. Slow response time is associated with most drowning deaths.

Breaks

Observation of an open water swimming area requires constant vigilance. Much has beenwritten about the tremendous challenge presented by attempting to maintain concentration inthe face of the monotony of watching swimmers for extended periods of time. Training mayhelp, but it does not eliminate normal human reactions to stress or fatigue. If lifeguardconcentration lapses, even momentarily, it can have lethal consequences for those under theprotection of the lifeguard. For this reason alone, regular breaks are critical.

Breaks are also needed due to the environment in which lifeguards work. Often it is hot andwindy, and lifeguards are exposed to the elements. And breaks are required for simplehuman needs, like eating, using restrooms, and stretching legs.

In general, lifeguards should be assigned to water observation for no more than an hour at atime before being given a break of at least 1/4 hour. A lunch and/or workout break shouldalso be scheduled daily. USLA certification requires that lifeguards be provided anopportunity to exercise each day during their regular shift. This helps keep lifeguards alertand helps encourage them to maintain the high levels of fitness needed for the job. Manylifeguard agencies perform organized morning group workouts daily, and individualworkouts throughout the day as conditions permit. Breaks are facilitated between teammembers, with the lifeguard on break remaining in the area.

Equipment

Lifeguards need a variety of rescue and medical equipment to effectively carry out their jobs.The most basic is the rescue floatation device and swim fins. Additional equipment, such asrescue boards, first aid kits, binoculars, vehicles, and boats can be helpful as well. In somecases, the provision of automotive equipment can help limit the need for personnel,particularly backup personnel. Further information on lifeguard rescue equipment options is


available in Open Water Lifesaving The United States Lifesaving Association Manual,(second edition).18

In an area such as Baldwin County, with vast expanses of open beach, emergency responsevehicles, boats, and personal watercraft are essential. They allow rapid backup to remotelocations, conveyance of lifeguard equipment and personnel where needed, improvedsupervision, effective patrol, and a high level presence. Rescue boats can provide essentialservices to rapidly rescue multiple victims in high surf or rip current conditions. Theavailability of such tools can maximize the effectiveness of lifeguards and may help limitneeds for personnel.

Responsibility and Management

Lifeguard agencies are providers of emergency services and are thus a link in the chain ofpublic safety service systems. Lifeguards who serve marine environments are in fact hiredto assume responsibility for the protection and rescue of people from a hazardousenvironment. They should be well trained, have high skill levels, be willing to accept asignificant amount of responsibility and, at times, risk their lives. Employers oremployees cannot take this duty lightly.

Due to the seasonal nature of the lifeguard services provided by Gulf Shores and thenonexistence of lifeguards in Orange Beach and in Alabama Gulf State Parks, localfirefighters and police are called upon to respond to aquatic emergencies at times. Mostoften, these responses are by land. In most cases, marine units are dispatched to coastaldrowning emergencies, unless it’s been determined that seas are too rough for the unit toexit the inlet into the gulf. More often than not, as a consequence of the time delay betweenreceipt of the emergency call and the arrival of professional rescuers on the scene, the effortresults in the “recovery” of the body of a deceased swimmer rather than the rescue of a viablepatient.

At times when lifeguards are on duty, a clear chain of command should be prearranged toavoid any confusion at emergency scenes. Further, the response of multiple agencies to anincident requires that all of the agencies have clear operational guidelines and/or mutual aidagreements in place which optimize their effectiveness. If firefighters, police, park rangers,or EMS workers are to be expected to participate in in-water rescue, they should first be fullytrained to USLA national standards. This helps ensure adequate victim care and personalsafety protection for the employees so assigned. The formation of an official ARRT teamwould be beneficial.

Although standards of care owed to individuals vary, any determination of negligence orcivil liability is based on standards for performance of the professional lifeguard.Ignorance of such professional obligations is no excuse for failing to meet them.Therefore, those with the administrative and functional expertise to administer a

18 Brewster, B. Chris (Editor). Open Water Lifesaving: The United States Lifesaving Association Manual;Prentice Hall 2003 ISBN 0-536-73735-5 (Chapters 13 and 14)


comprehensive public safety quality assurance program should conduct management andsupervision of beach safety personnel.

Recruitment and Retention of Lifeguards

An annual recruiting drive and pre-employment training process to find the numbers of ablerecruits needed to staff the beaches is sound practice. Due to their relative unavailability,utilization of employees attending schools (high schools, trade schools, and colleges, etc.)should not be solely relied upon. The development of a recurrent part-time lifeguard staffwith on-call deployment capabilities is paramount to keeping the lifeguard stands occupied.Lifeguard salaries should be comparable to those of other local emergency service workers.When necessary, salaries should be adjusted in order to help retain and attract professionallifeguards.

It is also possible to positively affect recruitment and retention by improving workingconditions in areas important to prospective and existing employees. Properly equipped andsanitary lifeguard facilities are one aspect of working conditions that can help withrecruitment and retention efforts. Lifeguard facilities deemed to be substandard orinadequate signal a low level of respect for the employees and for the service they provide.Lifeguard equipment should be properly stored in an area of adequate space. Lifeguardsshould have lockers, showers, or other amenities at their worksites. Lifeguard facilitiesshould be of high quality and provide amenities one might expect at a fire or police station.This is especially true considering that lifeguards will welcome and medically treat thepublic at such facilities. The public will, of course, expect sanitary conditions while a woundor other injury is being treated.


Oversight Options

In Alabama’s Gulf Coast region, there are no local ordinances or statutes addressing watersafety concerns. In 2008, accidental death was the fifth leading cause of death statewide,and drowning deaths ranked second behind motor vehicle accidents. 19 Drowning ispreventable through sound health safety policy. This policy must include the provision oflifeguards on public beaches.20

In the United States, lifeguard protection is most commonly provided by the entity thatowns the adjacent beach. This is true even though the owner of the beach is not always theowner of the water. In effect, the owner of the beach provides lifeguards to protect users ofits beach as well as those who venture into adjacent waters, regardless of who owns thesewaters.

The vast majority of surf lifeguard programs in the United States are administered bygovernment agencies, with the lifeguards employed by those agencies. This is obviously thecase in Gulf Shores as well. The fact that a lifeguard service is under public control assuresdirect accountability to both county officials and citizens. If expectations are not met, thehiring entity has the authority to take immediate steps to correct any deficiencies. This isof particular import with respect to a public safety provider.

Another option, when lifeguards are public employees, is conference of enforcementpowers. A variety of approaches in this regard are utilized in the United States, from arminglifeguards and providing them full police powers (examples include Volusia County,Florida, and California State Parks), to providing limited arrest and citation powers, toconferring only the right to issue legally enforceable verbal warnings. When properlyutilized, this option reduces reliance on police, engenders greater respect for andcompliance with lifeguard directions, helps keep beaches clean and orderly, and enhancesbeach safety. Obviously, it requires training appropriate to the level of enforcement powerconferred.

Research

In Baldwin County, the Fire and Police Departments presumably file reports on drowningdeaths. Logging and reviewing incident reports provides data that may indicate new areas ofresponsibility, periods of operation, and levels of staffing. Additionally, there are 9-1-1dispatch logs and department run reports that can be evaluated. The Baldwin CountyMedical Examiner’s Office is another good source of research on drowning incidents. Inrequesting information on drowning deaths, it is sometimes helpful to ask for allinformation on “coastal deaths,” due to the fact that some drowning deaths are classified ascardiac, seizure, or stroke deaths secondary to drowning. Records of beach attendance,rescues, medical assistance, drowning death, and near death are essential to guide lifeguardstaffing, location, and manpower/budget allocation. Further research is needed to help

19 See ADPH website http://www.adph.org/injuryprevention/index.asp?id=1031 accessed January 3, 201020 The American College of Emergency Physicians recommends to “Always swim near a lifeguard” seehttp://www3.acep.org/patients.aspx?id=26164


identify both locations where and times when drowning death and near death has takenplace over the past five years. This should not be the sole determinant for placement oflifeguards, but should be taken into account.

All Baldwin County emergency service entities should consider reporting to the USLAtheir annual statistical record of contacts, medical treatments, rescues, visitation, anddrowning deaths to add to the national USLA database. By recording data in this manner andconducting a comparison study, an agency should be able to evaluate effectiveness anddetermine new areas of need.

Jurisdictional Issues

The fact that there are a number of government agencies operating in Baldwin Countybrings jurisdictional issues, and these pose challenges to the organization andadministration of comprehensive area lifeguard service(s) there. There are municipalities’,state agency, and county interests converging in a popular coastal recreational area and thisraises interesting questions regarding public safety policy and funding sources needed toimplement policy. These questions are not unique to Alabama; similar questions have arisenaround the country.

Examples of multi jurisdictional arrangements as related to lifeguard services abound inFlorida and California. In Brevard County, Florida, for example, the county FireDepartment contracts with coastal municipalities to provide lifeguard services throughout40 miles of county beach. In other areas, municipalities provide city funded lifeguardservices that serve alongside county and state funded lifeguard services.

Cooperation and communication between the agencies are essential elements to providingthe best service at the least cost. Jurisdictional responsibilities between the state, the county,and the municipalities should be itemized in a written agreement.

Local governments in Baldwin County have mutual assistance agreements in place,coordinating county and city medical and operational protocols under the direction of thecounty Medical Director’s office. This office should publish separate protocols for beachlifeguards. When there is a reported drowning in the city of Gulf Shores, beach attendantsare called upon. This, however, is not the case in Orange Beach or Gulf State Park.


THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING A TOURIST ECONOMY

The Alabama state legislature has recognized the importance of tourism to both state andlocal economies. In order to promote tourism, the legislature established an Advisory Boardto the Alabama Bureau of Tourism and Travel that “serve[s] as a body to advise the directorand private persons on the development and implementation of state policies and programsrelating to tourism and recreation and to assist in the coordination of these activities.”21

In Alabama, there have been increased tourism revenues over the past few years. In 2008,tourists brought over $9.6 billion into the Alabama economy.22 Of this, nearly 40% wasretained by the state. The Gulf Coast Region of Alabama, comprised mostly of BaldwinCounty, saw 35% of statewide tourism generated revenue. Between 2006 and 2008,Baldwin County posted travel related earnings of nearly $3 billion.23

In November of 2008, the Alabama Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau receivedthe results of an online survey that examined the image of its beaches pursuant to magazineadvertisements it ran to promote beach visitation.24 The survey determined that the likelytargets for beach tourism marketing were residents from the states of Alabama, Georgia,Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas. For the most part, these would likely bepeople with limited exposure to a beach environment and its associated hazards.

A key point of the report cited that among “general population” participants in the survey,there was a substantial inability to rate an overall perception of both Orange Beach and GulfShores. This, in turn, “suggests that there is a blank slate on which to develop perceptions ofOrange Beach and Gulf Shores among those in the general population.”25

In response to the question, “What is important in a beach vacation destination?” surveyparticipants answered that “logistics and atmosphere” were most important. It is worthnoting that by the consultants’ definition, the term “logistics” did not include the provisionof lifeguard services for beach visitors. The survey also drew comparisons to FloridaPanhandle beaches. These comparisons are indeed true of the geological aspects of thegeneral area, and while the pleasures of a beach vacation may be comparable, so too are thedangers.

Promotion of tourism tends to focus on offering special amenities that might be perceived asdesirable by those who may wish to visit. Normally, these special amenities do not includepublic safety services, because it is presumed by most people that communities in theUnited States will provide for their safety. Therefore, just as it is unlikely that potentialtourists who might be surveyed would be motivated to visit a community due to the

21 Title 41 State Government - Chapter 7 Bureau of Tourism and Travel - Section 41-7-3

22 See Alabama Tourism Report http://alabama.travel/media/media_room/Report/2008TourismReport.pdf23 Ibid (page 24)24 New South Research Report entitled “Alabama Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau Perceptions ofArea and Ads Online Survey November 5 – 8, 2008” accessed online January 3, 2010.25 Ibid (slide 4)


expansiveness of its police protection, so too could be expected to be the case for lifeguardprotection. However, if a community engenders a negative reputation for crime or a beachcommunity for drowning deaths, the consequences for tourism can be severe. Providingadequate public safety should be seen not as an amenity, but as a basic expectation oftourists.

Baldwin County officials in their attempts to draw more tourists to their beautiful beachesshould remain cognizant of the tragic incidents that led to the creation of lifeguard servicesin much of the Florida panhandle and they should strive to avoid having history repeated.26

The suggestion that Baldwin County has a blank slate to develop interest in its beachcommunities as tourist destinations is true only insofar as it can promote its commitment toproviding safe, guarded beaches. Without comprehensive lifeguard services and with anexpanding interest in marketing beach tourism, a different reputation will surely grow.

26 In 2003, twelve people drowned over two months and nine drowned over a two day period in the area. Tenof the twelve victims were from out of state. See report athttp://www.doh.state.fl.us/DEMO/InjuryPrevention/reports.html#DrowningReports


FUNDING OF AQUATIC SAFETY IN BALDWIN COUNTY

As a matter of legislative intent, it has been recognized that tourism is a business that bringsboth costs and benefits to beach communities. Residents also use the beaches, and benefitfrom income from tourism, so it is not unreasonable for the county and municipalities to usesome ad valorem funds to provide for public safety on public beaches. The concern we heardfrom various stakeholders was, again, centered on how these services would be funded.Funding can be derived from a variety of sources including but not limited to: ad valoremfunds, parking fees, concession franchise fees, tourist lodging tax, and grants. Grants thathelp fund beach safety services in the Florida panhandle, for example, include EMSMatching Grants which are typically used for capital outlay and/or operating supplies thatimprove or enhance the local EMS system.

In Baldwin County, the primary fiscal beneficiaries of improved beach safety would bebusiness owners who benefit by tourist income. If protection is improved, it will likelyresult in sustained or improved income to the tourist economy, to the benefit of all. As such,a source of funding for beach safety protection may be tourist businesses. Funding oflifeguard services must be considered not simply as expense coverage but also as a revenueenhancer. Lifeguards protect tourists, and tourist derived revenue is vital to the BaldwinCounty economy. There can be no doubt that Baldwin County’s beaches have contributed tothe county’s income much more than they have been an expense to its taxpayers.27 Themind-set of funding lifeguard expense needs to become an attitude of funding expansion ofa service that protects a revenue source.

Equitable funding must be related to the user of the service to be funded, to the extent possible.In this regard, based on sales tax revenues, we have found certain obvious areas of possibleuser fees. In 2008, tourists spent most of their daily expenditures on food andaccommodations. These items represent 40% of tourist spending, which makes anexcellent candidate for a simple room and meal tax. Another approach to fund enhancedrecreational services is already being undertaken in the Alabama Mountain Lakes taxdistrict. Unlike the rest of Alabama which has a 4% bed tax rate, the Alabama Lakes area isassessed at a 5% rate. The additional 1% is distributed evenly between the Mountain LakesTourist Association and the four counties where it is assessed.28 Obviously, based upon therevenue generated from coastal tourism within Baldwin County, most, if not all, of the costsassociated with providing professional open water lifesaving services could be funded in asimilar manner. This potentially completely eliminates the need for Ad Valorem tax dollarfunding. Further, the people potentially needing the lifesaving services would be the onespaying for it. A 1% increase on a several hundred dollars per night room are negligible and

27 In 2008, the revenue generated by tourism saved each Alabama household $404 in taxes applied to currentservice levels28 http:// www.revenue.alabama.gov/salestax/staterates.html “A privilege tax is levied upon every person or firmthat rents or furnishes lodgings or accommodations to transients for a fee. The statewide tax is distributed to the StateGeneral Fund and to the Department of Tourism and Travel in a 75%-to-25% ratio, respectively. An additional levy ismade in a four-county region known as the Mountain Lakes area for the promotion of tourism and recreation. Proceedsfrom the additional levy are distributed 50% to the Mountain Lakes Tourist Association and 50% to the four counties.”


easily defended by the provision of enhanced services and a corresponding reduction in thenumber of drowning related deaths.


RECOMMENDATIONS

In an effort to advise and assist in reducing the incidence of drowning and promotingaquatic safety in Baldwin County, we make the following recommendations:

Prevention Through Public Education

1. A learn-to-swim program should be implemented throughout the county toincrease the number of people in the community who know how to swim and toeducate them about aquatic safety.

2. A recreation-based Junior Lifeguard program should be adopted by BaldwinCounty. This program could be run as a fee-structured summer camp,with qualified lifeguard personnel acting as instructors, and incomeoffsetting costs of the employees. Depending upon community interest, aprogram could be offered in each municipality.

3. Baldwin County, should assure consistency, accuracy and ease of use in itsInternet based information regarding aquatic safety. Links should beestablished to recognized aquatic safety organizations, such as USLA and theInternational Life Saving Federation.

4. Area hotels should offer aquatic safety materials, pamphlets and closed circuiteducational videos, to their guests. Printed materials should include beachsafety information, such as where to find lifeguard protected areas and thedates/times lifeguards are on duty. These materials should be consistent incontent, with leadership of the county in consultation with aquatic safetyexperts.

5. A recorded telephone line should be dedicated to provide beach safetyinformation, such as tides, surf size, diving conditions, lifeguardavailability, and other information likely to appeal to beach users, whetherexperienced or novice. This number can be advertised on maps and in otherliterature. An example of this can be found by dialing 619-221-8824 or954-828-4597.

6. Municipal legislators should enact ordinances that outline the authority oflifeguard personnel regarding the enforcement of beach safety rules. Theseordinances should not conflict with municipal beach safety ordinances.Existing beach safety ordinances should be reviewed for current usage trendsand modified accordingly.


Emergency Services Planning and Management

7. Government entities in Baldwin County should collaborate in developing astrategic plan with the goal of creating and implementing a beach safetymanagement program throughout Baldwin County. This goal should includethe provision of lifeguard services at designated public bathing areas that willensure safety, save lives, and promote the reputation of the area as a safe areafor tourism.

8. Beach safety strategies should be guided by the principle of drowningprevention and should strive to provide lifeguards in public areas wherepeople are known to swim and to encourage people to swim in protected areas.Overlapping surveillance of swimmers is a critical component of effectivedrowning prevention and should be implemented wherever possible.

9. The employer should give primary responsibility for its beach safety servicesmanagement to a qualified and experienced lifeguard. This lifeguard managershould develop and implement standard operating guidelines, as well asoperational policies and procedures. The manager should issue an annualreport highlighting the accomplishments of and proposing improvements to theservice.

10. The lifeguard service manager(s) together with the employer(s) should defineroles and responsibilities for response to aquatic safety incidents both withinand outside of designated public bathing areas, at all times of the day andthroughout the year

11. A policy for lifeguard and public safety personnel response to “after-hours”aquatic emergencies should be developed. This could involve a dispatchingand/or “callback” system for lifeguards, or cross training of other emergencyservices workers (consistent with USLA standards) who would be on-duty atall hours.

12. Research and record keeping should be based upon data collected fromincident reports, medical run reports, and other sources. The employershould develop and implement written policy to address debriefing after majorincidents and should issue its findings in a written report, with appropriaterecommendations to minimize the chance of recurrence.

13. Employers should facilitate the construction of lifeguard headquartersand/or sub-headquarters buildings. These should include meeting space, firstaid stations, and locker room facilities for lifeguards. Most particularly, anadequate number of modern lifeguard towers must be provided.

14. Lifeguards services in Baldwin County should participate in the USLALifeguard Agency Certification Program. Firefighters and otheremergency personnel who might respond to water rescue should, at a


minimum, be trained to standards promulgated by the United StatesLifesaving Association. Lifeguards (not firefighters or police) should befirst responders to all water rescue incidents and should be the first notifiedwhen aquatic emergencies arise. Firefighters and police should respond,as appropriate, in a support role, and should work under a prearrangedincident command structure with lifeguards in the lead position when on-scene.

Lifeguard Staffing

15. Lifeguards should be provided at locations where swimming is known to occurwith regularity and where steps have been taken that invite users to thebeach. This would include beaches with public access, parking, and otheramenities, including hotels.

16. Government agencies in Baldwin County should employ full time lifeguardstaff in a number adequate to ensure a minimum level of safety protectionthroughout the county year-round.

17. While, in some cases, lifeguards may need to work alone for limited periods oftime, backup must be rapid, reliable, and adequate to ensure safety of thelifeguard and the public.

18. At each staffed beach, the area of responsibility of lifeguards assigned to eachlifeguard tower should be clearly defined. Where multiple towers are placed ona beach, they should be positioned closely enough to each other to ensure thatthe area of responsibility of each tower overlaps that of any adjacent tower,since beach patrons will be relying on continuous coverage between towers.The area of responsibility should be realistic in size to allow vigilant lifeguardsto observe and respond to people in distress in time to prevent death or injury.

19. Seasonal lifeguard protection of designated swimming areas should operate atlocations where and during times of the year when increased numbers of peopleare most likely to swim. This should begin no later than the beginning of Marchand extend at least through October, seven days a week.

20. Location, hours of operation, and dates of seasonal staffing should bedetermined based on response time, attendance, conditions, and demonstratedneed. Hours of operation should be clearly posted and consistent throughoutthe county, so as to not confuse patrons who frequent multiple beachlocations. The use of staggered shifts is recommended to maximize lifeguardcoverage, so long as no lifeguard is assigned to work without an immediatesource of qualified backup. The beach safety management plan shouldincorporate this policy.

21. Lifeguard agencies in Baldwin County should develop a system that allowsfor augmentation of staff above regular levels to assist lifeguard operationsduring unexpected weather conditions. A major incident plan should bedeveloped for these periods, with a method of bringing on additional staff as


needed. The Sheriff’s Department and Fire Department should be a part of theseplans to lend additional support to lifeguard resources.

22. The system of logs and statistical reporting should conform to USLA standardsand utilized to develop a base for locating staff and scheduling manpower.

Funding

23. A tourism lodging fee, as is already used in Alabama Mountain Lakes, shouldbe pursued and dedicated to the provision of lifeguard services. In addition,since all three government entities are already funding lifeguard and/or beachattendant programs at some level, this funding could dramatically enhancethose operations.

24. Additional sources of revenue might be identified through beach parking feesand/or concession fees for local vendors.

25. Federal and state grants may be available through Homeland Security or EMSfor lifeguard infrastructure, communications, and training.


RECOMMENDED REFERENCES

Lifeguard Effectiveness: A Report of the Working GroupBranche CM, Stewart S. (Editors). Atlanta: Centers for Disease Control andPrevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control; 2001. (see Appendix)Download from: http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/lifeguard/lifeguard.htm

Guidelines for Open Water Lifeguard Agency CertificationUnited States Lifesaving Association, rev. November 2001 (see Appendix)Download from: http://www.usla.org/Train%2BCert/USLA Guidelines.pdf

Open Water Lifesaving – The United States Lifesaving Association ManualBrewster, B. Chris (ed.) Pearson Custom Publishing. 2003. ISBN 0-536-73735-5

A Work Behavior-Oriented Job Analysis for Lifeguards - Final Technical ReportNational Center for Injury Prevention and Control Mael, Fred A. et al. Atlanta:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for InjuryPrevention and Control; 1998Download from: http://www.usla.org/PublicInfo/lfglibrary.shtml

International Standards for Beach Safety and Information Flagshttp://www.usla.org/PublicInfo/library/FlagWarningStandardsILSFinal20FEB04.pdf

Better BeachesGriffiths, Tom. National Recreation and Park Association; 1999. ISBN0-929581-62- 8

Documents

Aquatic Safety Assessment & Recommendations Alabama Gulf Coast · 2010 Aquatic Safety Assessment Alabama Gulf Coast Page 3 of 35 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Between 2006 and 2009 there were