Recent drownings are reminders of danger. Key tips for staying safe in RI waters
Do you know the meaning of the red, yellow, blue and green flags that fly at Rhode Island's ocean beaches?
They could save your life. Lifeguards fly the flags to advise beachgoers of the sometimes hazardous water conditions at the state beaches and the presence of dangerous marine life.
Rhode Island has had at least seven water-related deaths so far this summer, and while the circumstances may differ, the deaths are tragic reminders of the threat that lurks along the Ocean State's 400 miles of shoreline, as well as in its ponds, lakes, rivers and swimming pools.
Powerful surf, currents and dangerous marine life pose threat in RI waters
High surf, strong currents and sea life that can hurt, or even kill, present dangers for swimmers in Rhode Island waters each summer. Even on calm days along the coast, or on glass-like ponds, the water can pose problems for those who are unprepared or overlook its power.
In two of the seven water deaths, it appears that victims overlooked at least one of the most important safety tips for swimmers. They swam in water unprotected by lifeguards. In another of the deaths, a Cranston man died trying to save people who'd gone swimming after lifeguards had left for the day.
"The best thing you can do is swim near a lifeguard," says Greg Dusek, a senior scientist for NOAA who studies rip currents.
On July 13, Nicolette Biber, 28, of East Greenwich, drowned while swimming at night off Conimicut Point Beach, an area known for strong currents, according to the Warwick police.
"We cannot overstate the dangers of swimming at night, in the dark and in unfamiliar areas where tides and high winds may make conditions unpredictable," the police said in a press release.
Two weeks later, on July 27, Jaimer Martin Ico Gregorio, 15, went missing while swimming in high surf off Dune's Park Beach in Westerly. Jaimer, from New London, Connecticut, had gone to the beach that evening with a group of family and friends. His body was recovered July 30.
Jaimer had been near a jetty, where rip currents are known to form; divers and rescue swimmers searching for him that night and the next morning said they had to contend with some of the strongest currents they've ever encountered, Westerly Police Chief Paul Gingerella said.
GoFundMe for teenager who died off Westerly
Jaimer was from Guatemala and most of his friends and family reside there. A GoFundMe has been established to help his "family bring Jaimer home to Guatemala where he can lay to rest with his family and friends."
In two other cases, men died trying to save people in the water in locations not staffed by lifeguards. On the evening of July 18, Idmael Elmonus, 38, of Cranston died trying to rescue two swimmers who were struggling off Scarborough North State Beach.
The swimmers, a boy, 17, and a woman, 21, were rescued by police. They'd gone into the water shortly before 7 p.m.; lifeguards staff state beaches until 6 p.m.
More: Summer brings the danger of drownings. How to have a safer season. | Opinion
On July 9, Javier Rivera, 46, of Woonsocket went under the water on Wenscott Reservoir in Lincoln while reportedly trying to help two kayakers, one of whom had flipped a vessel, Lime Rock Fire Department Chief Timothy P. Walsh said.
The three other deaths happened at beaches that were staffed by lifeguards.
On May 28, a 60-year-old Hartford man drowned at Misquamicut State Beach in Westerly. The unidentified man lost his footing while wading in strong currents and was pulled from the water by lifeguards, according to the Westerly Sun.
On July 7, an adult man also died at Misquamicut after he was pulled from the water by lifeguards, the state's Department of Environmental Management said in a press release. He was identified as Frank Sievel, 74, of Farmington, Conn.
On July 25, Louis Diffley had been swimming with family members at Warwick City Park when he appeared to suffer from a medical episode before disappearing in the water, according to the police. The state Medical Examiner's Office ruled Diffley's death a drowning, Warwick Police Chief Bradford Connor said Wednesday.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are more than 4,000 fatal unintentional drownings every year in the United States, including boating-related drownings. Rhode Island has confirmed five deaths from drowning so far this year, according to the Rhode Island Department of Health. That compares with 20 last year and 19 in 2021.
(Health Department numbers can sometimes lag, because the medical examiner might need to determine if someone drowned or suffered from another medical episode, such as a heart attack, a spokesman said. Rhode Island also had a drowning in February when a 67-year-old woman fell through the ice in Burrillville.)
In addition to keeping an eye on swimmers, lifeguards can provide information on swimming conditions. The Rhode Island Division of Parks and Recreation uses a colored flag system to communicate ocean conditions at state beaches.
More: A 10-year-old girl and a father of two drowned at Conimicut Park. Now, their families are suing.
Here's what those beach flags mean
The double red flag means no swimming, conditions are too dangerous. A single red flag means high hazard due to surf, currents or both. A yellow flag means there's a medium hazard with moderate surf, currents or both. A green flag means low hazard with calm conditions. A blue flag means there's dangerous sea life in the area.
The DEM urges beachgoers to check in with lifeguards on water conditions.
"As always, DEM urges parents and guardians to watch their children while they’re swimming or near the water," the state agency said in a recent Facebook post. "Also, DEM urges beachgoers not to enter the water if they cannot swim."
Along with watching for high surf and strong currents, lifeguards and swimmers should keep watch for dangerous marine life. Portuguese man-of-war, which can deliver a painful sting, were spotted on Rhode Island beaches in July, prompting lifeguards to fly the purple flag.
More: Are there sharks in Rhode Island? 8 sharks that can be found off the shore
Sharks are also sometimes spotted off the Rhode Island coast.
"When a fin is sighted in the waters off a state beach, RI State Parks staff will evacuate swimmers from the water," the DEM says on its website. "The protocol calls for swimmers to remain out of the water for an hour after an actual or suspected shark sighting, while DEM marine biologists and environmental police investigate the sighting."
The American Red Cross urges everyone to learn to swim well and is among organizations that offer swimming lessons.
Rhode Island Department of Health and Red Cross offer tips for staying safe around water
Here are some tips from the Rhode Island Department of Health:
Messages for parents
Always watch children when they’re in or near water. Never leave them unattended.
Designate an adult to supervise children in the water. That should be their only task. They should NOT be texting or doing anything else.
Even if a lifeguard is present, parents should still be watching their kids.
If your child doesn’t know how to swim don’t let them go in the water.
If your child does know how to swim, buddy up! Use the buddy system.
Messages for everyone
Never swim alone.
When in doubt, get out. Don’t hesitate to get out of the water if something doesn’t feel right (current, rough surf, fatigue, muscle cramps, etc.).
At state beaches, swim in the areas supervised by lifeguards. Swim within designated swimming areas.
If you mix alcohol and swimming, you are asking for trouble. Do not do it.
If ever caught in a rip current, swim parallel to the shore, instead of into the current. You could be swept away from shore very quickly.
Here are water safety tips from the Red Cross:
Swim in designated areas supervised by lifeguards. Always swim with a buddy; do not allow anyone to swim alone.
Provide close and constant attention to children you are supervising, even when a lifeguard is present, no matter how well the child can swim or how shallow the water. Avoid distractions including cell phones.
Never leave a young child unattended near water and do not trust a child’s life to another child; teach children to always ask permission to go near water.
Designate a “water watcher” whenever in a group setting.
Stay within arm's reach of any weak or inexperienced swimmer who is in the water.
Have young children or inexperienced swimmers wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets around water, but do not rely on life jackets alone.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Here's what those flags mean and other water safety tips for RI beaches
