Okaloosa County BOCC — May 6, 2016 — I. g. Okaloosa Public Safety — reading text

ALVIN HENDERSON JR., CEM, CFPS DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY RICH HUFFNAGLE DIVISION CHIEF – BEACH SAFETY To protect the health, safety, and welfare of our beach visitors by providing top quality; education, prevention, rescue, and emergency medical response services to the public. The Beach Safety Division believes that through collaborative educational and prevention programs; delivered by skillfully trained, competent, and professional lifeguards deployed in a beach management role, drowning deaths in the open water environment will be mitigated significantly. To reduce the occurrence of death and injury in the aquatic environment, achieved through the use of Prevention, Mitigation, Preparedness, and Response programs; delivered by our professional team members on and off the beach.  STARTING OUT  In 2003 a total of 19 people died due to drowning on Pensacola, Okaloosa, Destin, and Walton County Beaches  A total of 8 drown in one Day, this day is known as Black Sunday: June 8, 2003  2004‐2006  2004 was a Quit Year on the Beaches ~ 2005 Crazy Year ~  March through October:  Red flags 5 out of 7 days average.  Double Red flags 8 times  Over 120 rescues  Age of Enlightenment!  2006 Okaloosa County Beach Safety joined forces with Sunset Beach Service to provide lifeguards on and at all beach accesses of Okaloosa Island  2007 ‐ WHO WE WERE:  Field a team of lifeguards in sufficient quantity and with sufficient training to keep bathers and swimmers safe on Okaloosa County beaches.  Learned that education and prevention are cornerstones to lifeguarding success.  WHO WE ARE NOW: Well trained Professional staff of 22 Seasonal First Responder, EMT, or Paramedic Advanced USLA Qualified Open Water Lifeguards  SPRING OPERATIONS  2nd weekend in March –Memorial Day Weekend  Hours of operation 9am‐6pm  Typical 5 Guards week days  7‐9 Guards on the weekend depending on beach census  SUMMER OPERATIONS  Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend  Hours of Operation 9am‐8pm or Dusk (which ever occurs first)  Typical 7‐9 Guards week days  9‐11 Guards weekends depending on census  Split shifts 3 (9‐5pm) 4 (10‐6pm) 2 (2‐8pm) and a closing Senior Guard OPERATIONS Ocean West Tower  Trained Ocean West Operator for Command and Control of beach and responding assets  To allow for 100% visibility of operating area  PUBLIC PREVENTION AND EDUCATION ON THE BEACH  Beach management is key to education and prevention  Guards will issue and try to maintain 100% contact with beach patrons  On a busy day guards can make 1‐2K contacts  We teach:  Rip current awareness  Surf condition warnings  Marine life hazards PROACTIVE: Guards will go out to issue warnings or educate the public.  TRAINING  Consists of:  48 hour USLA open water rescue certification  48 hour First responder Certification  AHA CPR/AED for the healthcare provider  8 hours Vehicle operations course  Radio communications  Beach familiarization  Training is focused on educational and preventative aspects of open water lifeguarding TRAINING RESCUE SKILLS RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES  Highly skilled and trained watermen and rescue professionals  Cost effective and efficient response vehicles  Latest lifesaving equipment to respond to emergencies RESPONSE VEHICLE RESPONSE VEHICLE (CONTINUED) BUDDY AND JUNIOR PROGRAMS  Community involvement in education:  Education of the local area youth with visits to the Elementary and Middle schools  The buddy program educates about 5800 elementary school age children per year  The Junior Lifeguard program is a comprehensive training camp for Middle and High School students with average annual attendance of about 80 participants  The Junior program is a great tool for recruitment BUDDY PROGRAM JUNIOR PROGRAM JUNIORS PROGRAM (CONTINUED) WHEELCHAIR PROGRAM  WHEELCHAIR PROGRAM  Offers a beach Wheelchair delivered to patrons with disabilities to allow access to the beaches of Okaloosa Island.  Issue on average 400 wheelchairs to disabled people visiting the Island annually RESPONDING TO SWIFT WATER/ FLOODS  ARRT certification approved November 2013  Encompasses Rescue 3 International training program and open water experienced waterman  Ability to take seasonal guards and train them to respond to swift water flood rescue situations  SOCIAL MEDIA Ready Okaloosa app for mobile phones Facebook: okaloosacountybeachsafety County Website: http://www.co.okaloosa.fl.us/ps/beach‐safety QUESTIONS