Project Wipeout

We have incredible beaches in California, but they come with danger. Lifeguards undergo extensive training to recognize dangerous situations before they happen, help you understand where it is safe to swim and play, and rescue you or your family if something goes wrong.Whenever you visit the beach, always plan to swim in front of an open lifeguard tower. Look for the lifeguard in the tower, flags flying, a hanging rescue buoy, or information board.If the tower is not open when you arrive, find a tower that is, and adjust your plan to keep everyone safe.The first thing you should do when you arrive at the beach is check in with the lifeguard. They are experts in the local area and can help make your day at the beach enjoyable. Here are a few things to ask:

• Where is it safest to swim? Where should I avoid?

• What are the conditions like today?

• Are there rip currents today? Where?

• What is the bottom like in this area?

Water quality and bacteria levels vary up and down our coastline. Lifeguards recommend that individuals read and obey water quality signs at the beach to avoid exposure to elevated bacteria levels. Water quality information for Orange County beaches can also be found online at https://ocbeachinfo.com.

Furthermore, it is important to understand that a water quality advisory is always issued when there is significant rainfall that may cause bacteria levels in ocean waters to increase. Bacteria levels can increase significantly during and after rainstorms, as contaminants within the runoff enters the ocean. Bacteria levels may remain elevated up to 72 hours following rain, depending upon the intensity of the rain and the volume of runoff. Elevated bacteria levels in ocean water may cause illness, especially in children and the elderly. Beach users should avoid contact with water near flowing storm drains, creeks and rivers. Note, these general advisories are not accompanied with postings at the beaches.

Look for warning flags when you arrive at the beach, and ask the lifeguard what they mean to stay safe.

Lifeguards use a variety of different flags to convey information to beachgoers and bathers for safety purposes. The colored flags that you see on the lifeguard tower work like a stop light. These flags are green, yellow and red. Regardless of which flag is flying, or if there are no flags visible, always check in with the lifeguard for more information.

• A green flag identifies mild ocean hazards and rip currents may be present.

• A yellow flag indicates moderate ocean hazards with typically larger waves and rip currents present.

• A red flag represents hazardous conditions with large waves. Expert ocean swimmers only!

In addition, some other flags that lifeguards use include a black ball flag and a checkered flag.

• A blackball identifies an area that prohibits hardboards such as surfboards or skim boards.

• A checkered or other colored flags may indicates hazards or boundaries, check with the lifeguard!

Weather at the beach can change quickly. Lightening travels fast and far. If you hear thunder or see lightening at the beach, don’t risk it! Immediately seek shelter in a building or a car and wait at least 30 minutes after the last lightening strike before going outside again.

Lightning in any open space, like the beach, can be very dangerous. Don’t risk it – seek shelter!

The board walk is a great place to walk or ride but can be dangerous if you don’t pay attention. Follow these simple tips to keep yourself and your family safe:

• Keep the boardwalk clear. Do not stop or block the path and avoid walking in big groups that take up space!

• The boardwalk is a road – stop and look both ways before crossing.

• Always supervise children near the boardwalk and hold hands when crossing.

While riding a bike, skateboard, or scooter:

• Always respect the speed limit, and slow down when passing walkers.

• Always wear a well-fitting helmet.

• Never drink alcohol.

• Dismount and walk your bike through crowded areas on the bike path.

• Do not use electric powered bikes/vehicles on the beach bike path.

The best beach days end with family and friends gathered around the bonfire to make s’mores and enjoy the sunset. Make sure it’s picture perfect by following these simple rules:

• Always have fires in designated fire rings, never in the sand.

• Never play in or around fire pits. Even if there is not an active fire, coals could still be hot.

• Never bury hot coals or wood in the sand, they can stay hot up to 24 hours and injure someone else the following days. Allow coals and firewood to burn out naturally in the fire pit.

• Dispose of coals from BBQs in designated areas or into a fire pit.

Below are basic tips everyone should follow when encountering a marine mammal.

• Please keep your distance from any marine animals in order to give the animal the best chance of survival.

• Federal law prohibits touching, feeding, harassing, removing or returning a beached mammal to the water. Please do not pour water on the animal.

• Seals and sea lions temporarily “haul-out” of the water and go on land to rest. This is normal behavior, so not all animals will need our help.

• Monitor from a safe distance and make necessary observations. Politely keep other people away from the animal.

• Call Pacific Marine Mammal Center (PMMC) at 949-494-3050. Ask to speak with our animal care department.

For additional information, visit the Pacific Marine Mammal Center.

Kids wander. Always actively supervise children at the beach!

There are a lot of people at the beach, and the constantly changing crowds can be overwhelming. Children require constant supervision to avoid being separated. Take note of these lifeguard recommendations to prevent you from being separated from your children:

1. Teach children to go to the nearest lifeguard if they are lost.

Teach kids that lifeguards are “safe strangers” who are there to help in case something goes wrong. Make sure that children are able to give the lifeguard their name, the name of a parent and ideally, a phone number if they are lost.

2. Report to the nearest lifeguard if a member of your group goes missing.

Lifeguards are accustomed to helping reunite lost family members at the beach. The lifeguard towers and trucks are connected by phones and radios, and will be able to help you search much faster.

Memorize what the children are wearing and keep recent photos of children in case they become separated. An easy way to do this is by taking a family photo with your cell phone at the start of your visit to the beach.

3. Select a landmark to serve as a meeting point if anyone gets separated.

Typically, a good landmark will be the nearest lifeguard tower.

The parking lot at the beach can be chaotic. As drivers try to find a parking place, they may not see you or your children. Be extremely careful, especially when walking between cars with kids. Follow these lifeguard tips to avoid an accident in the parking lot:

• Never play near parked cars.

• Be aware. Always look around for moving cars

• Small children should hold an adult’s hand at all times.

• Always walk in the parking lot, do not run!

• Secure your vehicle and your belongings: remember to always lock your car!

• Always wear shoes! The ground can be hot, and there are rocks, broken glass, and other debris that could hurt your feet.

Avoid swimming or surfing near rocks, jetties and piers. They are hard, sharp and can cause dangerous currents!

Always read and obey signs.

Signs exist for a reason. Look for and read all signs when you arrive at the beach.

Ask a lifeguard where to swim at a beach with rocks.

The lifeguards are experts in the area. They know where submerged rocks are, and how those rocks could create dangerous currents you might not recognize.

Always enter the water carefully.

Dangerous rocks can be submerged under the water’s surface. Enter slowly and carefully to avoid cutting your feet, twisting an ankle, or falling.

Never jump or dive from rocks into the water.

You don’t know what is beneath the surface, and different tides can drastically alter the water depth.

Avoid rocks and tidepools that are damp and wet. You might slip or get hit by a wave.

If rocks or tidepools are still damp, that means that waves have recently broken over those rocks.

Know the tides!

When exploring tide pools or walking along a rocky beach, always know the tides! Frequently, people become trapped by walking around points and over rocks only to find that a short time later the tide has come in and that area is now covered in water. Check the tides online, or ask the lifeguard before you explore.

There are four important components of rip current safety. Familiarize yourself with what rips are and what they look like, and what you should do at the beach to keep yourself safe.

• Understand what rips are, and what they are not:

  • Rips are strong currents of water that flow from the beach, through the waves, out to sea.

  • Rips can move fast and can carry even the best swimmer into deeper water.

  • Rips ARE NOT “undertows”; they will not pull you down under the water.

• Learn to, and practice, spotting rip currents from the beach. Ask a lifeguard to help you spot rips. Although not all rips will show all these signs, here are a few clues to look for:

  • Foamy, choppy, discolored or sandy looking water flowing out to sea

  • A gap in the breaking waves as they come to shore.

• Stop and watch the water first.

  • Just like you look both ways before you cross a street, whenever you get to the beach, you should sit down and look for rips and other hazards before you get in the water.

• If caught in a rip, know your options to stay safe

  • Avoid swimming in a rip if possible: always swim in front of an open lifeguard tower and identify hazards before you get in the water.

If you are in a rip float first, stay calm, and consider your options. Don’t fight the current.

1. Try standing up; if you can stand up, walk to shore.

2. If you are at a beach with lifeguards or you see surfers, call out and wave with one hand for help.

3. If no one is near and you are able, swim parallel to shore or towards the breaking waves.

4. If you are too tired to swim: stay calm, conserve your energy and focus on staying afloat.

One cubic foot of sand weighs 100 pounds. Please be aware that deep sand holes and tunnels WILL collapse. Stay out of deep holes and avoid digging or tunneling for your own safety. If you are inside a tunnel and it collapses, you can easily become trapped.

Safe Digging Rules:

• Never dig deeper than your knees.

• Never put your head below the level of the sand. If it collapses you could become entrapped.

• Avoid digging or tunneling into the side of the berm, it can collapse easily.

Neck and spinal cord injuries are permanent and sometimes fatal. Most neck and spinal cord injuries at the beach are caused by an ocean wave forcing your neck and spine into harmful, unnatural positions. These injuries can occur in a variety of ways: when your body tumbles in the waves, gets thrown by the waves to the ocean floor or when your head spears into the sand.

The spinal or vertebral column is made up of bones (vertebrae), soft spongy discs, which act as shock absorbers for the spinal column, nerve tissue called the spinal cord which runs through the center of the vertebrae, and supporting soft tissue including muscles and ligaments. The vertebrae protects the spinal cord, which is soft like the consistency of pasta. The extent of damage from an injury varies depending on how much and what type of force is exerted on the spine, and how it impacts the spinal cord.

If the trauma is minor or moderate, it may cause strained muscles or ligaments, or fractures that will eventually heal with treatment. A misalignment of the spinal column could result in pinching of the spinal cord resulting in temporary paralysis. The victim may regain mobility as the pinching subsides, but it could mean a long and painful road to recovery.

When the trauma is severe, the vertebrae and discs between the vertebral bones can be dislocated or even shattered. This can put significant pressure on the cord, or even slice it in two. Similarly, ligaments that support the spine can tear allowing the spine’s alignment to shift, again putting pressure on or cutting through the spinal cord.

Once this type of spinal damage has occurred, there is little that can be done medically to repair it. The result is severe pain, paralysis of the arms and/or legs, inability to breathe without a ventilator, or even death.

Powerful waves, diving into the water, or poor body surfing technique can cause serious spinal cord injury and broken bones. Follow these tips to stay safe in the surf.

• Know your environment. Before entering, know how deep the water is and consider if there are shallow spots where you could hit the ocean bottom when playing in the waves.

• Body surf with your hands in front. Never ride a wave with your arms down by your side.

• Wipeout safely. Jump away from your board and land on your backside if possible.

Always protect your head and neck by keeping your hands in front of you when entering the water or playing in the waves.

Nationally, a leading cause of aquatic fatalities and major traumas for young adults is alcohol. At the beach, it is not good enough to know when to say when. Simply put, water and alcohol is a dangerous cocktail because:

• Alcohol Impairs Judgment – Alcohol distorts your perception of risk, and your own abilities

• Alcohol Increases Risk Taking Behavior – Alcohol removes inhibitions, leaving you more likely to take greater, potentially life-threatening risks.

• Alcohol Reduces Coordination – Alcohol numbs the senses, particularly sight, sound and touch. Unsteadiness and inability to swim or maintain buoyancy is a recipe for disaster.

• Alcohol Impairs Reaction Time – Alcohol is a depressant, reducing the rate at which the brain processes information. In the ocean, a quick response is vital for survival.

• Always surf with others, and learn how to help fellow surfers if an accident happens.

• Always wipeout or fall on your butt. Protect your head and neck when you fall.

• Use the proper equipment at the beach. Use a leash when surfing and always use fins when body surfing/surfing.

• Know your limits. Don’t paddle out if you are not prepared for the conditions.

• Plan your entry and exit.

• Always hold onto your board when going under waves to prevent it from hurting someone else.