some type of injury, it can also have
legal ramifications. The owner of the
flying umbrella can be held respon-
sible for any injury caused to anoth-
er person. Here are a few important
tips to follow when setting a beach
umbrella.
person who sets it. If you reset the
umbrella on your own, you are re-
sponsible.
nough. You must jab and then rock
the whole umbrella pole back and
forth until about 18-24 inches of the
pole are beneath the sand (the
length of an adult's forearm from el-
bow to outstretched fingers). Screw-
ing the umbrella into the sand is not
gust from getting up under the um-
brella. The greater the wind
speed the smaller the angle
should be between the beach
and umbrella.
using a wimpy plastic or light
metal umbrella or your um-
brella setting skills are poor,
do not set your umbrella.
not set your umbrella for you. Life-
guards will also make an effort to
warn people of high winds if we
know they are expected; however, a
sudden gust is always a possibility
at the beach, so keep an eye on
attended.
guard stand impede the life-
guard's view. If you arrive at
the beach before lifeguards
are on duty, be sure to set
your umbrella a few yards be-
hind the high tide line. Happy
shading under your properly
set umbrella, and remember,
lifeguard's in the stand."
between stands is more than a sug-
gestion. It is a city ordinance that is
enforced by the beach patrol. The
surf rescue technician needs a clear
line of sight to perform their duty of
keeping you safe and has the au-
thority to request umbrellas be mov-
ed or that they be taken down bas-
ed on changing conditions for the
safety of all beach patrons.
beach they will respond to stop the
umbrella as quickly as if responding
to a surf rescue.
sergeant. He is an assistant principal
at Stephen Decatur High School.)
windswept umbrellas. Umbrellas
swept by wind gusts often barrel
down the beach at speeds of 20 mph
and more. High winds and gusts are
common on the shoreline, and these
conditions, mixed with an improperly
set umbrella, can mean trouble.
emergencies caused by flying um-
brellas. In some cases injuries are
serious enough to require EMS re-
sponse. It is almost never the per-
son who owns the umbrella who
gets hit, but someone else's umbrel-
la that hits some unsuspecting per-
son. These accidents can often be
prevented and are basically caused
by an umbrella that was not set
properly in the sand. Not only does
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