BAY COUNTY, Fla. – Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford blasted beachgoers for ignoring safety warnings regarding deadly water conditions after the Florida Panhandle experienced nearly a dozen deadly drownings over the past two weeks. Among the dead from the riptides is a former NFL quarterback who died Tuesday in nearby Okaloosa County.
Panama City Beach is a water front town and vacation destination situated in the south end of Bay County. It’s known for miles of white-sand beaches fronting the clear waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Conversely, it has been designated the deadliest beach in the U.S. this year with seven deaths, all of which happened in the month of June, the New York Post reported.
Sheriff Ford said he was incensed with the unnecessary death toll after he observed his deputies rescue strangers who disregarded the warnings.
“I’m beyond frustrated at the situation that we have with tragic and unnecessary deaths in the Gulf,” Ford wrote on Facebook. “I have watched while deputies, firefighters, and lifeguards have risked their lives to save strangers. I have seen strangers die trying to save their children and loved ones, including two fathers on Father’s Day.”
Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford ripped into beachgoers who disregarded dangerous water warning flags. (BayCountySO/Facebook)
“These same heroes, who have risked it all to save others, have been cursed and given the finger, while trying to warn visitors of the life-threatening dangers,” Ford noted.
“Government and law enforcement can only do so much in these situations,” the sheriff admonished. “Personal responsibility is the only way to ensure that no one else dies. Please make the effort to know the flag status and stay completely out of the water.”
The Panama City Police Department responded to 70 calls involving swimmers in distress during the past 10 days. Among those calls, 39 occurred on Saturday, the same day four men ranging in age from 39 to 68 years old were killed due to riptide currents at different resorts on Panama City Beach, according to a report from the National Weather Service.
Moreover, the USA Today reports that more than 60 people have died from drowning in the U.S. this year, and we have not yet reached July. Last year’s total was 69.
While being mocked for trying to increase awareness and warning of danger, Ford said lifeguards, firefighters and deputies “have used the tools provided by the county commission to fine violators $500 for entering the water on double red flags.”
Double red flags are the most severe warnings posted at beaches. They indicate a “very high hazard and the water is closed to the public.”
The sheriff’s office doesn’t have the resources or time to cite everyone, Ford noted, but deputies still try to deter people from going into the water, arresting only those “upon a second offense unless the individual resists law enforcement.”
However, despite efforts to work with local officials to improve public education regarding hazardous conditions and deploying emergency response measures, “people are still dying.”
“Please make the effort to know the flag status and stay completely out of the water,” Ford said, while affirming the work of first responders. “I’m so proud of the men and women at the sheriff’s office and partner agencies that are giving their absolute best to save lives. Please be responsible and don’t put your life or theirs in danger.”
Former NFL quarterback Ryan Mallett is among the dead. He died Tuesday in nearby Okaloosa County, the New York Post reported.
Mallett played five seasons in the NFL. He did not survive the perilous waters, drowning in Destin, Florida, located 50 miles west of Panama City Beach.
The former NFL quarterback played with the New England Patriots, Houston Texans, and Baltimore Ravens from 2011 to 2017. He was currently working as a high school coach and was with a group of about 9 to 12 people when they were suddenly caught in a rip current.
Former NFL Quarterback Ryan Mallett died in a drowning on Tuesday. (Wikipedia Commons)
Everyone in the group made it to shore except Mallett who was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to Deltaplex News.
In a subsequent post titled “THE AFTERMATH OF A DEADLY WEEKEND” Ford shared photos of what the rip currents did to the sand beneath the water over the weekend, where he said even great swimmers would have had trouble.
“You say you are a ‘good’ swimmer, an experienced swimmer, a competitive swimmer. But you are no match for a rip current,” Ford emphasized.
The Bay County Sheriff’s Office shares the beach conditions daily on its Facebook page. Last week featured graphics declaring either double red or single red flag hazardous conditions.
