GULF SHORES — Dangerous currents have prompted the closure of waters off Alabama’s coast a total of six days this year.
Double red flags signal closures due to dangerous rip currents. When a swimmer becomes distressed, resources are expended and first responders are put at risk, prompting residents to ask whether enough is being done.
Fire departments and beach safety officials are stretched in the summer months as the local populations of both Gulf Shores and Orange Beach explode during peak travel periods. While fire officials have expanded lifeguard programs, police are responsible for enforcing municipal code, allowing arrests or $500 fines for violators.
According to data from both cities, there have been zero arrests or fines issued this year.
From June 3 to June 5, one of the three-day periods where Orange Beach flew double red flags, Orange Beach Fire Department’s beach safety chief Brett Lesinger said lifeguards made contact with at least 360 beach patrons. During the same period, lifeguards had to tell 172 people to exit the water and explain the dangers. Lifeguards made one rescue during that period.
During the next three-day stretch, June 17-19, lifeguards had 604 contacts, 482 verbal removals and eight rescues. Police had to be contacted four times for repeat violators.
On June 17, a man drowned off the coast of Fort Morgan when he attempted to rescue his son from a rip current.
"We are thankful for the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office who had deputies on the beach," Steiner said. "The Fort Morgan guys were on the beach patrolling all day long and telling people to get out of the water."
Steiner said it is essential for beachgoers to pay attention to the county's flag warning system. At the time of the drowning, the sun was out, but Steiner said clear skies do not mean the water is safe.
"When in doubt, stay out of the water," he said.
Fort Morgan has over 20,000 visitors a day during the peak summer months.
“The lifeguards patrol the beach all day long and then they try and enforce the double red flags to the best of their ability,” Lesinger explained. “We can't write a citation, but if we get to the person a third time and we've already told him twice before, then we usually contact the police department for them to come down and try and issue a citation or make an arrest or whatever the police may determine is necessary.”
Gulf Shores detective Carl Wittstruck said enforcement isn’t always about consequences but more about education.
“We certainly don't want to arrest anybody or cite anybody,” Wittstruck said. “We would prefer the educational opportunity to say, ‘Hey, this is the reason why you can't be in the water. You're putting yourself at risk, and you're putting those first responders at risk that may have to come into the water to try to rescue you.’ So, we don't want a tragedy on either end. Voluntary compliance is the big measure for us.”
Wittstruck warned that the most severe consequence of entering closed waters is drowning. He said even seasoned swimmers can be taken over by rip currents.
“You've got to respect the Gulf and the rip currents and the waves and the way that the churn is,” Wittstruck said. “At any moment you could go under and then not be recovered, or it could put somebody that may try to rescue you in the water at risk.”
Lesinger said Orange Beach lifeguards take a proactive approach by speaking with people about the meaning of the double red flags and the city’s ordinance that allows for enforcement.
“When we're flying red flags or double red flags, we're basically saying that the strength of these rip currents can exceed what most swimmers would be able to resist and swim against,” Lesinger said. “So, I mean, there's a reason that our lifeguards have to pass swim qualifications and there's a reason that we give them rescue swim fins.”
Wittstruck said he understands people on vacation may have their guards down, but he stresses water safety and education.
“Yeah, it's exciting. You get your waves, and you get moved around and things like that, but then if they're too rough or you get too deep, you get dragged out, then it's over with, unfortunately,” Wittstruck added. “Then we have a tragedy.”
Orange Beach police officer Bo Hardin serves on the force’s marine unit. The city deploys flashing signs during Spring Break to warn that there is a zero-tolerance policy for underage drinking. Hardin said that while many vacationers may not know about the flag system, he agrees that deploying signs during double-red flags could help educate the public.
“I wouldn't think it would be difficult to put up the flashing signs,” said Hardin. “I think it's a good idea on double red flag days.”
Hardin said it is a challenge to spread the word to new people coming into town daily or weekly. He said that if lifeguards have to risk their lives to save someone on a double-red-flag day, the police department will take action. He hopes that it will get the attention needed to discourage violators. For example, Hardin said when the city began disposing of tents left on the beach, people took notice and stopped leaving their tents behind.
“Do you know why? Because there's a penalty for it,” Hardin said. “They know if they leave their stuff out, it's going to be gone the next morning. They're not getting it back. So, if you knew for a fact, if you step into that water and you're going to get a $500 ticket or arrested or both, it would make me not do it.”
Gulf Shores does not bring out electronic signage during double red flags, but does during the Spring Break alcohol ban.
Residents who live along the Gulf Coast say they wish law enforcement would take closed waters as seriously as they take alcohol violations.
“Regularly issued citations would bring reality to the ordinances and awareness to the seriousness of the situation,” said lifelong resident Chris Vecsey.
Vecsey believes enforcement of the ordinances would set an example.
“I think fines should be issued regularly,” said Vecsey. “Without enforcement, without examples being made, people will continue to ignore the warnings and put their lives, and the lives of first responders, in danger.”
Along with flashing signs, residents suggest lowering the penalty for first-time violators so that law enforcement would feel more comfortable issuing citations. Another idea is to issue a geofenced alert on double-red flag days, similar to Lulu’s Law, which alerts mobile users in a certain area when a shark attack occurs.
The Baldwin County EMA has partnered with local agencies to help spread information about beach safety. Beachgoers can text ALBEACHES to 888777 to receive daily beach conditions and warning flag status.
The Baldwin County EMA has also provided safety tips online.
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