Page 82 The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch September 20, 2013 GUARDING THE BEACH Resort Lifeguards Wrap Up Season ThisWeekend OCEAN CITY – I have really enjoyed spreading the word about beach safety each week in The Dispatch. The beach patrol and I really appreciate the commitment of Steve Green and the opportunity to work together to get the safety message out to the public. I wanted to recap some important beach safety tips since this is my last article of the 2013 season. There is no question that only swimming when lifeguards are on duty and swimming in front of a lifeguard is the basic and most important action one can take to ensure beach safety. It seems easy enough, but late in the fall season when our beach coverage is about half of peak season, I keep seeing people that have not gotten the message. Our guards are constantly trying to corral people to get them to swim near their stand. Another important tip that is even more obvious than swimming near a lifeguard is learning to swim. Learning to swim is one of the best things people can do to protect themselves from drowning. Studies show that people learn to swim best during childhood, which makes it a parent’s responsibility to make sure their children learn to swim. If someone does not know how cuses: education, prevention and interto swim, they should not be in the vention. ocean. Period. Unfortunately, we have Without a doubt the most obvious rescues where people are pulled into and the one that attracts the most atdeeper water by a rip current to find tention is intervention when one out that the person cannot of our guards blows a whistle, swim. Once someone begins to jumps off the stand, runs down panic and actively drown, they the beach, and then swims out generally have 10-60 seconds to rescue a swimmer in disuntil the situation becomes tress. Although this happens grave. several thousand times each With so many currents and season, it is not our major focus unknowns in the ocean, people but rather it is prevention of acshould not be in the ocean if they do not know how to swim. RYAN COWDER cidents and injuries through our educational outreach efforts and proKnowing how to swim and understandgrams that we make our number one ing how a rip current works will give priority. you the needed tools to be a successful swimmer in the ocean. That is why each week we use this space to try and educate all of the The last tip I would like to leave you readers of The Dispatch. I truly believe with pertains to rip currents. If you find that through the exposure in this newsyourself caught in a rip, don’t panic or paper that many lives have been savfight the current. Swim out of the cured and will continue to be saved rent by swimming parallel to shore and because someone has read the article then in to shore. If you are unable to or passed on the information that they swim out of the current, just float and learned to others. So if you have entread water and call or wave for assisjoyed this column and have learned tance. If you are on a guarded beach, any new information about beach or help will be on its way. Thanks for reading and have a great water safety, not only pass it on to othwinter season. For more information on ers but take the time to thank the edithe Ocean City Beach Patrol and beach tors of The Dispatch. Have a safe winsafety tips, you can log on to our webter and we will see you Memorial Day site www.ococean.com/ocbp. RememSaturday 2014. ber, “Keep your feet in the sand till the – Ryan Cowder lifeguards in the stand.” Special To The Dispatch CAPTAINS NOTE: I also want to (The writer has been with the Beach thank The Dispatch for allowing us to Patrol for 15 years and is currently a serhave a weekly safety feature. The geant. He is an assistant principal at Beach Patrol’s mission has three foStephen Decatur High School.) AYCE STEAMED CRABS + CORN ALL DAY, EVERY DAY (CALL FOR PRICES AND AVAILABILITY) ALSO SERVING BUSHELS, 1/2-BUSHELS, DOZENS ... OR TRY ONE OF OUR FAMOUS ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT FEASTS PLUS FULL MENU AVAILABLE EAT IN OR CARRY-OUT STEAKS, CHICKEN, FRESH FISH, RIBS & MORE! PLENTY OF FREE PARKING Family Friendly FREE HUSH PUPPIES WITH EVERY MEAL Kids’ Menu Availble www.higginscrabhouse.com • We Serve Cream Of Crab Soup • HIGGINS SOUTH Open Mon.-Fri. 2:30 p.m. • Sat.-Sun. Noon HIGGINS NORTH Open Mon. & Fri. 2:30 p.m. • Sat. & Sun. Noon 31st St. & Coastal Hwy. • 410-289-2581 JUST SOUTH OF CONVENTION CENTER 128th St. & Coastal Hwy. • 410-250-2403 CARRY-OUT LIQUOR STORE OPEN DAILY (PRICES AND AVAILABILITY SUBJECT TO CHANGE) TO