Latest news with #beachSafety
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Beach safety jetski rescues overturned canoer in Volusia County
Earlier this week in Volusia County, a canoer capsized and lost his paddle, but luckily was spotted by Air One and rescued by a beach safety jet ski. On Saturday, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office shared incredible footage of the beach rescue on their social media platform, X. The rescue team, led by the beach safety jet ski, safely rescued and returned the person whose canoe capsized to here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. The rescue team, led by the beach safety jet ski, safely rescued and returned the person whose canoe capsized to shore. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Panama City Beach ordinance limits digging holes at the beach
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (WMBB) – It's against the law in Panama City Beach to dig holes deeper than 2 feet without refilling them. One hole can easily trap a sea turtle that has come ashore to build a nest. 'We have a lot of sea turtles and marine life that come up onto our shores and cause them to get trapped or have a hard time to get back to their home,' Panama City Beach Beach Safety Supervisor Hannah Anderson said. The sand holes can be extremely deceptive. 'People could like fall into the sand and they could get buried very deep if it was like a very deep hole and it would be very hard to get out,' beachgoer Carlos Nolser said. In 2016, an Oklahoma teenager dug a hole in the side of a dune at St. Andrews State Park. The soft sand collapsed, burying Travor Brown in the hole. First responders eventually pulled him out, but he suffered brain damage due to a lack of oxygen. Brown died after his family agreed to remove him from life support. Holes in the sand can also delay emergency vehicles' response time. 'If we get a call and we're going kind of fast on the sand, sometimes we can hit those holes that people have dug and it will stop us right in our tracks. Maybe we have to be out of service for that call if we have to work on getting us out of that hole,' Anderson said. Beach Safety Patrol Officers patrol up and down the beach, keeping a lookout for deep holes. First, they provide a warning to the person responsible. If the hole is not filled, code enforcement can write them a ticket, which costs more with every new offense. Many beachgoers are unaware of the ordinance. 'That's something I never would have thought about. But I had no idea the safety concerns that might come about from digging holes, you know, big-sized holes holding the sand,' Beachgoer Phillip Prater said. No metal shovels are allowed on the beach and the city also has a 'Leave no Trace' ordinance, requiring people to remove all personal items from the ordinances also impact sea turtles, especially now that nesting season is underway. Panama City Beach Turtle Watch volunteers have found six turtle nests so far. Once those eggs hatch, the hatchlings need a clean, dark, flat surface to make it to the Gulf. No holes in the beach can increase their chances of survival. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Independent
19-05-2025
- The Independent
Weird sea creature ‘balloons' are washing up on North Carolina beaches - here's what they are
Portuguese man-of-war are washing up on North Carolina beaches, forcing officials to issue a warning to beachgoers along a 150-mile stretch of sand from Cape Lookout to the South Carolina state line. Visitors are being cautioned to watch where they step because of the sting the creatures can emit. The sting is rarely deadly to humans but can be painful and cause welts on exposed skin. 'Just a friendly reminder to exercise caution,' the Cape Lookout National Seashore wrote in a May 17 Facebook post. 'Their tentacles can pose a risk to bare feet even after the organism has died. So, let's keep our beach fun and safe by avoiding attempts to pop the blue float. ... Portuguese Man-o-Wars are likely to remain on the beach for several days, so let's stay vigilant over the next week.' While similar in appearance to jellyfish, the creatures are a species of siphonophore, a group of animals closely related to jellyfish, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They are primarily found in tropical and subtropical areas. They wash up on beaches after being propelled by winds and ocean currents. The creatures are capable of floating in legions of 1,000 or more. Portuguese man-of-war resembles an 18th-century Portuguese warship under full sail, but they are often recognized for their balloon-like shape, which can be blue, violet or pink. The creature can rise up to six inches out of the water. They often lurk below the ocean's surface and grow to an average of 10 meters (about 30 feet) and may extend by as much as 30 meters or 100 feet. The Sunset Beach Fire Department alerted visitors that the 'thread-like tentacles' can spread across the sand. Anyone who is stung should rinse the affected area with saltwater, not freshwater, and remove tentacles with gloves or a towel. People should seek medical attention if they experience severe pain, difficulty breathing or other serious symptoms.
