LTC 143-2013 Response to Comments re Lifeguard Coverage O ► MIA/01 BEACH
City of Miami Beach, 1700 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, Florida 33139, www.miamibeachfl.go' c�'
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- LETTER TO COMMISSION
LTC #143 -2013 —
To: Mayor Matti Herrera Bower an Members f the City Commission y -
- VO
FROM: Jimmy Morales, City Manager,
DATE: April 25, 2013
SUBJECT: RESPONSE TO COMMENTS ADE REFERENCE LIFEGUARD COVERAGE
BETWEEN 53 STREET AND 64 SREET ON THE BEACH
The Miami Beach Fire Department, Ocean Rescue Division is committed to providing
excellent public service and safety to all who live, work and play in our vibrant, tropical,
historic community. The Ocean Rescue Division supports the cities vision by working to
keep Miami Beach cleaner and safer through the staffing of 29 lifeguard towers that
maintain coverage of our designated publically accessible beaches. Past practice for
determining the placement of towers relied on the following criteria:
1. Proximity of city parking lots and parks.
2. Beach usage as documented by counts done by the lifeguards.
3. Historical knowledge of incidents, rescues, medical calls and fatalities.
4. Water conditions, beach topography and visibility.
5. Factors associated with special events and beach concession operations
which increase usage and activity are also taken into account
Ocean Rescue currently uses the national standard flag system that warns the public
365 days a year. Flags are posted at all lifeguard towers, warning bathers of potential
danger including rip currents, lightning, high surf, and dangerous marine life. Weather
conditions are published through our Miami Beach website, which is updated daily.
Weather conditions and flag warnings are updated daily as well on Florida International
University's web page: beach.fiu.edu through a collaborative effort between Ocean
Rescue operations and FIU. Lifeguards diligently warn bathers with approximately
251,350 preventions and rescued 531 victims last year. Ocean Rescue warned
approximately 10,733 bathers in unguarded areas. On the day of the rescue performed
by Mr. Pearl there were 248 rescues and 76 enforcements in the zone supervised by the
zone lieutenant. The table below shows two fatalities between 53 and 64 street that
occurred in the past year. Ocean Rescue responded to the unguarded areas, and
administered CPR to both victims. They both died from a medical condition and not from
saltwater emersion as both victims were seen collapsing from a standing position at or
near the shoreline and immediately assisted by witnesses.
Hypertensive and
56th Street Sunday, August 19, 2012 3:30PM Atherosclerotic Heart
Disease - Natural
Causes
Hypertensive and
Wednesday, July 04, Atherosclerotic Heart
58th Street 2012 2:OOPM Disease- Natural
Causes
In addition to the current practice of patrolling unguarded areas and warning patrons to
relocate to a guarded area, the Ocean Rescue Division will research the availability of
portable highly visible signs that can be used to provide further warning and instruction
in areas that develop rip tides.
There are currently nine rope lines maintained by Ocean Rescue at the following
locations:
1. 3rd street
2. 6 th street
3. 10 street
4. 13 street
5. 17th' street
6. 35 street
7 72n street
8. 80 street
9. 86 street (currently out of service to sand shifting)
Should you have any additional questions please do not hesitate to contact me.
JLM /JO