OREGON PARKS BEACH SAFETY,
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The Lifesaving program provides lifeguard coverage for the main beach
areas associated with the City of Cannon Beach. The lifeguards provide
a myriad of emergency and non-emergency cervices that are essential
to maintaining safe
and desirable recreational areas associated with the ocean shore. Lifeguards
are on the beach daily from 10am to 8pm June through Labor Day. In May
and September, they operate on weekends.
The Lifesaving Program provides reactive interventions (emergency response
to swimmers, surfers, etc., experiencing immediate distress) and proactive
interventions (discouraging high risk behaviors on the beach and in
the water). Members of the Lifeguard Team conduct safety patrols, assist
the Police with general beach supervision, assist with beach code enforcement
report misconduct occurring on and around our beaches, and deter Marine
Garden Violations at and around Haystack Rock.
Preventing Aquatic Emergencies
- Be careful and alert on the beach. Those beautiful waves can
be dangerous! Sudden wave surges, or "sneaker waves" wash ashore
with enough power to knock a person down and drag them out to sea.
- Never play on driftwood. Large logs and other driftwood can
be moved around by waves or your own body weight. You could be injured.
- Check for surf conditions. Lifeguards are on duty from mid-June
through Labor Day. The lifeguard tower is located directly on shore
from Haystack Rock. Please check with the lifeguards on duty about
swimming conditions before entering the surf.
- Safety conditions change according to currents, tides, beach
location, wave size, weather and other factors. Check the
safety flags located on the lifeguard semaphores.
- Safety Flag Symbols:
*Green & Yellow diagonal flag = Small surf, mild current.
Supervised by lifeguard. Does not mean safe conditions.
*Yellow flag = Moderate surf and currents. Area not
well supervised.
Does not mean safe conditions.
Red flag = Rough surf, strong currents. Hazardous conditions.
Swimming not recommended. Wading could be hazardous.
- Children in the water and on the beach must be directly supervised
by their parents.
- Never swim alone. Swim in a well-supervised area, away
from heavy surf or currents. If no lifeguards are on duty, be sure
people on shore know you are in the water and can see you.
- Do not use inflatable equipment in the surf. Inflatable's are
easily punctured and overturned. They can drift out to sea in currents.
Never substitute the use of floating devices for swimming ability.
- The ocean along the Oregon coast rarely gets warmer than 55
F. With water this cold, it's best to limit your time in the water.
- A good rule of thumb is to stay in water between knee and waist
deep. Make allowances for wave size, tides and bottom troughs, or
"crab holes".
- Remember, you can prevent aquatic emergencies with a thorough
knowledge of swimming and water safety skills. Enroll in a
certified Red Cross, YWCA or YMCA aquatics class. Be a confident
and knowledgeable swimmer.
You Can Help Lifeguards In An Emergency
- Call for help only if you really need it. Faking a distress
situation is dangerous. It distracts lifeguards from patrolling
for actual emergencies.
- Semaphores are for your safety and are used to contact the lifeguards.
If you see a dangerous situation take the following actions:
A. Locate the nearest semaphore
B. Loosen the rope to the signal arm
C. When the lifeguard arrives, tell them the location and
type of
emergency
- Don't swim near or in rip currents. Lifeguards will tell you
how to recognize these dangerous currents and how to combat them.
- If you find yourself unable to swim out of a rip current, call
out to people on the shore. Tell them to contact a lifeguard.
- Above all, do not panic in a rip current. Relax, swim with the
current and parallel to the shoreline. Eventually you should pop
out of the current and be able to ride waves to the beach.
- Respect the judgment and experience of the trained lifeguards.
Follow their advice and do not interfere with the performance of
their responsibilities.
