Water dangers are top of mind for Bay Area doctors, first responders heading into spring break
TAMPA, Fla. - It’s been a dangerous three weeks on Tampa Bay’s waterways after seven people have died or gone missing, including boaters, a paddleboarder and a swimmer.
On February 18, four boaters disappeared off the Venice coast, then on Feb. 24, a paddleboarder died along the intracoastal waterway north of Dunedin. On Sunday, March 3, a 15-year-old died in a boat crash in St. Petersburg, and on Wednesday, a 17-year-old swimmer in town from Canada died off Indian Shores.
"In open water, it doesn’t matter how strong of a swimmer you are. Things can happen," said Dr. Sara Kirby, the pediatric ER medical director at AdventHealth Tampa.
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Water dangers are top of mind for Tampa Bay area doctors and first responders right now, especially as beaches fill up for spring break.
"Making sure that people that come from other areas of the country know that Florida, you can have rip tides, you can have currents, you can have things that happen. weather will change," said Kirby.
The weather plays a huge role in water safety, and the Coast Guard said checking the forecast should be the first thing you do.
"Check the weather. Wait that extra hour before you go out, so it’s calm," said Petty Officer Nicole Groll, the public affairs officer with the U.S. Coast Guard.
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Groll said there's one common mistake she sees in boating or water sports: Not wearing a life jacket.
"What we do is, when we go searching, we’re looking for things on the surface of the water," said Groll. "If you hit your head, but you still have your life jacket on, and it’s inflating, you’re still on the surface of the water, so we’ll be able to see you."
As the Tampa Bay area heads into spring break, the Coast Guard named an important qualification if you're planning to hire a charter boat to hang out.
"If they don’t have their Coast Guard captains license, then don’t get on the boat," said Groll. "That means there’s a good indication that they’re an illegal charter, and they’re not looking out for your safety."
The Coast Guard also shared if you’re out on the water, important actions also include telling someone where you’re going and when you’ll be back, having a radio to call for help and using a personal locator beacon.
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