Tattoo artist captures unlikely drone video of lifeguard rescue
Joseph Osborne likes to set off his drone to capture pictures and videos when he takes a break from his work as a tattoo artist. Mostly, it's just an opportunity to practice his hobby. But this weekend, he found something interesting.
On Saturday, Osborne's drone captured video of lifeguards from Flagler Beach in Florida working to rescue a stranded swimmer. The video shows a group of at least four lifeguards using buoys to reach what appears to be a person on a boogie board who had been pulled out too far by the current. Bystanders looked on from the beach as the lifeguards successfully pulled the swimmer back to shore.
Osborne told Fox 35 he was surprised but thrilled to capture the video by chance.
"It was definitely a rehearsed thing... with their buoys and their lines, and they use them in unison," he said. "Very impressive. I thought it was very neat."
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According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), rip currents are powerful, narrow channels of fast-moving water. Currents can move at speeds of up to 8 feet per second.
In 2023, 70 people have died in surf zones across the United States as of July 27, according to National Weather Service (NWS) data. Almost all - 65 - of those fatalities have been from rip currents. The U.S. averages about 100 rip current fatalities per year, according to the NWS.
The NWS provides the following guidance for swimmers to avoid rip currents:
•Swim at a lifeguard-protected beach.
•Never swim alone.
•Be cautious at all times. If in doubt, don't go out.
•Stay at least 100 feet away from piers and jetties, as permanent rip currents often exist alongside these structures.
Experts advise that if caught in a rip current, it is best to swim parallel to shore until free of its influence. After swimming parallel to the coast for about 50 to 100 yards, a trapped swimmer should begin swimming on an angle, away from the rip current and toward the shore.
When swimming parallel to the shore fails to work, The United States Lifesaving Association recommends calmly treading water and waiting out the current until it's possible to swim safely back to shore.
If around a rip current victim, expert guidance is to get immediate help from a lifeguard or call 911. Throw the victim something that floats - a lifejacket, cooler, inflatable ball or buoy are some examples. Yell instructions on how to escape. Remember, many people drown while trying to save someone else from a rip current.
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