Okaloosa County BOCC — July 26, 2016 — Beach Safety PBB

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OKALOOSA COUNTY, FLORIDA SERVICE AREA: PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT/PROGRAM: BEACH SAFETY DIVISION/BEACH SAFETY PROGRAM PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: This program consists of 1 Beach Safety Division Chief, 1 Lifeguard Supervisor, 3 Senior Lifeguards, and 22 Seasonal Lifeguards. The Beach Lifeguard Program provides year-round lifeguard protection, preventative oversight, heavy surf and rip current rescue services on the beaches and waterways of Okaloosa County in accordance with Okaloosa County Parks and Recreation Ordinance No. 08-06. Division personnel raise and maintain the universal flag warning and signage system on Okaloosa County Beaches in coordination with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Beach Flag Warning Program as set forth in Section 380.276 F.S.S. Beach Safety also provides public education information to the citizens and visitors of Okaloosa County on the hazards that exist in the aquatic and marine environment. Department lifeguards make presentations and provide safety briefings to civic organizations, military organizations, church groups, and others. Posters, information cards and pamphlets, and videos are printed and distributed to local schools and universities during safety presentations conducted by senior lifeguard staff members. The Swift Water and Flood Rescue program focuses on early warning, evacuation, and rescue of victims and potential victims of rising flood waters resulting from severe weather events in Okaloosa County. Team members provide technical rescue services in shore-based, boat-based, and in-water situations as well as special situations around dams, vehicles, and high-angle areas. The team is also deployable on a regional scale and can be mobilized to respond to disasters in surrounding counties on short notice. REVENUE: Beach Safety Division is funded within the General Fund; revenues are derived from the transfer of funds from the Tourist Development Enterprise Fund. MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS LAST YEAR:  Conducted over 150,000 documented preventative actions.  Performed 98 rip current and heavy surf rescues with no drowning fatalities on guarded beaches.  Responded to 147 reports of lost children on the beach. All were found and returned to their families.  Responded to 512 medical calls on the beach.  Continued to develop increases in efficiency and effectiveness of lifeguard operations through the use of the Main Lifeguard Tower on the Okaloosa Fishing Pier.  Performed 23 rescues that would typically be after hours due to longer coverage times until 2000 hours (8:00 pm) or dusk.  Attended over 40 sponsored public education events in local schools providing beach safety education and prevention information to approximately 6,000 school age children and community youths.  Instructed over 80 youths ages 9 to 17 years old in the Junior Lifeguard Program. PROGRAM GOAL: The goal of the program is to prevent the incidence of death and injury in the aquatic and beach environment as efficiently and effectively as possible through public education, the maintenance of high professional and technical standards, and the maintenance of a constant state of readiness year-round.  KEY OBJECTIVES: 1. Provide public education with the “Buddy program” and preventative oversight to the residents and visitors of Okaloosa County as the primary methods of prevention of death and injury in and around the waterways of Okaloosa County. 2. Provide rapid and efficient heavy surf, rip current, and flood rescue services in tight coordination with surrounding rescue agencies. 3. Continuance of professional lifeguard and technical rescue standards through training and professional development programs. 4. Ensure the visiting public is educated on the flag warning system and rip current hazards – “Know Before You Go” campaign. 5. En