NEWYou can now hear Fox News articles. For decades, the lifeguards of Florida’s Space Coast were symbols of safety for vacationers. This season, dozens are empty as the county scrambles for 45 critical roles. The shortage became tragic this week, when two people drowned trying to rescue a trapped child in a rip-current. Brevard County Ocean Rescue chief Eisen Witcher said, “Obviously, we are doing the best with what we have.” “We assess as much risk that we can…It is not that we are not there, but we can’t always be there.” “On Wednesday, the authorities were notified of a water emergency at Cocoa Beach. Four people were affected. The Brevard County Fire Rescue reported that the adults, who have not been identified, entered the water in order to save the child. The child who survived was not related to the adults. Florida Today reported that a woman was the stepmother of the child, and a man was a bystander. Witcher said that the surf conditions had caused significant damage to sandbars, causing flash ripcurrents. According to the National Weather Center the Florida coast from south of Palm Coast up to Miami is at high risk for ripcurrents. “It is very fast, very unexpected and you can lose your balance very quickly. In our life-guarded zones, we watch and try to prevent this as much as possible. It’s difficult for tourists or people from outside the area to know what to do or how to react. Witcher explained that they will be holding a tryout at the weekend. “We have been recruiting for a good two or three months,” he said. “We would like to see 45 more [lifeguards].” He said.
