Rough Surf

SOUTH WALTON COUNTY, FL - A total of 10 people were pulled from the surf in South Walton County and in Destin on Friday while red beach flags warned of dangerous conditions.
   
One of the victims was taken to a local hospital after rescuers performed CPR.
   
Walton County upped its warning to a double-red post after four people were rescued in 4-foot seas late Friday morning, South Walton Fire District Chief Rick Talbert said. Before lifeguards finished changing the flags, another person was pulled from the Gulf of Mexico. All refused medical help.
   
"They were just rather scared and exhausted from the experience," Talbert said.
   
In Destin, a father went into the water after his struggling son near Holiday Beach Resort about 1 p.m. They were rescued by Destin Beach Safety Patrol lifeguards.
   
"Whenever there's a fatality it's usually the would-be rescuer that is harmed," Destin Beach SafetyChief Joe D'Agostino said. "We really advise to call 911 for help."
   
D'Agostino said lifeguards went off duty at 4:30 p.m. A call then came in just after 5 p.m. about one adult man and two young girls in distress near Crystal Beach Park.
   
D'Agostino and a team of lifeguards and firefighters redeployed to assist the swimmers, but other beachgoers were able to pull them to safety before they arrived.
   
The two girls did not require medical attention, but the man was not breathing. Rescuers performed CPR on him before he was taken to Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast in Santa Rosa Beach.
   
His name has not been released and his condition was unavailable Friday night.
   
"While we were on service, we had the situation managed," D'Agostino said. "But we can't be out there 24 hours a day, seven days a week."
   
On Okaloosa Island, lifeguards patrolled the beach Friday to warn people to stay out of the water.
   
"The surf is big and very dangerous and there are rip currents all over the place," said Tracey Vause, Okaloosa County's beach safety division chief. "We're putting a lot of time and effort into making contact with everyone on the beach we can."
   
Forecast models show surf conditions will be rough through the weekend, although flags might be changed to yellow on Sunday, Vause said. Rough sur f is also expected Monday through Wednesday.
   
"We're watching and monitoring the weather and water closely," Talbert said. "The weather is beautiful and folks want to get out there, but we've had those storms and the sandbars get scalloped and drop off. Rip currents are more prevalent."