On Wednesday, June 28, 2023, Destin Beach Safety released their official statistics for rescues or aid that took place between the dates of June 14th – June 25th.
- Attendance: 207,775
- Minor 1st Aid : 33
- Major 1st Aid: 22
- Public Contact: 118,550
- Preventative Actions: 84,980
- Missing People: 7
- Persons Rescued: 48
- Assists: 24
- PWC Infractions: 19
According to Destin Beach Safety, there were no drownings in Destin during this time.The flag colors between June 14th – June 25th were either Single Red or Double Red due to large surf and life-threatening rip currents. Double Red Flag signifies that it is unlawful to enter the Gulf of Mexico.
Destin Beach Safety also released the official statistics for Tuesday, June 27, 2023, which is the day of the drowning of Ryan Mallett.
- Attendance: 18,950
- Minor 1st Aid: 4
- Major 1st Aid: 1
- Public Contacts: 7,650
- Preventative Actions: 1,775
- Missing People: 0
- Persons Rescued: 6
- Assists: 0
- PWC Infractions: 0
Stay alert to and obey the current safety flags
Even the strongest swimmer can get into trouble swimming in open water. Here are some tips from the Okaloosa Health Department for swimming at the beach:
- Double Red Flag: Very high hazard and water is closed to the public.
- Single Red Flag: High hazard with high surf and strong currents.
- Single Yellow Flag: Medium hazard with moderate surf and/or strong currents.
- Single Green Flag: Low hazard with calm conditions, but caution still advised.
- Single Purple Flag: Dangerous marine life.
- Stay alert to rip tides and strong currents. If you get caught in a rip tide or strong current, don’t fight it. Swim parallel to the shore until you have passed through it. Learn to recognize and watch for dangerous waves and signs of rip tides — darker, narrow gaps of water heading offshore between areas of breaking waves and whitewater.
- Don’t swim alone. Even if you are a good swimmer, you never know when you might need help.
