Thousands of tourists and locals languish on Florida’s white, sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters.
It’s a dream many vacationers fantasize about while enduring frigid winters, but for Floridians, it’s just another typical Sunday afternoon. Whether visitors return sunburned to a hotel room or their primary residence, one thing they all have in common is venturing into the water – a choice that can carry dire consequences, even for the most experienced swimmers.
A Slew of Rescues
This much was true for a pair of swimmers who first responders were called out to rescue on Easter Sunday.
The first victim was rescued Sunday around 7 p.m. near the 8800 block of Collins Avenue.
Near 16th Street and Collins, first responders rescued another person from a near-drowning incident.
In Miami, lifeguards allegedly responded to over 40 water rescues over the weekend.
Friday in Fort Lauderdale, four young swimmers needed to be rescued. Lifeguards were able to bring three back to shore but the fourth, a 13-year-old boy, died. The group was visiting the area from Lake Worth on a trip with their basketball team.
The waters that day quickly turned “rough,” according to reporting from Channel 10 News and first responders searched the area for the minor’s body for nearly two hours. His body was later recovered. Fort Lauderdale’s lifeguard team allegedly made over 30 rescues over the weekend and some beach areas were temporarily shut down for safety.
Danger: Sudden Weather Changes, Winds and Rip Currents
The spring and summer months often bring larger waves and stronger currents with a propensity to form rip currents. These rip currents form when waves push water toward the shoreline, forming a channel of water that flows back out to seat at a high rate of speed. If caught up in a rip current, swimmers can suddenly be pulled out to deeper water and find it difficult to get back to shore. These currents can be incredibly strong and, while fighting to break free and swim to shore, many swimmers can exhaust themselves and panic, causing many to drown.
In Florida, rip currents cause over two dozen drownings a year, accounting for a significant cause of beach-related deaths in the state, according to the National Weather Service. In 2023, over 30 people died in Florida after being caught up in a rip current. At least eight of these deaths occurred at the Panama City Beach, an area of northwest Florida known to have a high frequency of rip currents due to its location and the presence of sandbars along the Gulf of Mexico’s coastline.
Leesfield & Partners
Leesfield & Partners is a Miami-based law firm with offices in Coconut Grove, Key West and Orlando. The firm, which was established in 1976, has decades of experience securing record and historic results for clients and grieving families. In that time, Leesfield & Partners has represented the victims of boating accidents, jet ski crashes and drowning incidents. While no monetary amount can undo the damage that has been done, our attorneys will work tirelessly to ensure that those responsible for our client’s injuries are held accountable, securing the means to pay for medical costs and future damages, and highlighting important safety issues to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
Previous Cases
Previously, the firm represented a husband and father who lost his wife and two young daughters in a drowning incident at an inadequately maintained U.S. Navy pier.
The firm secured $2.95 million for the man in that case.
For a family whose minor son was caught in a drain at a hotel pool, Leesfield & Partners recovered a record amount in Osceola County, where the incident took place. In that instance, the hotel did not have an emergency shut off switch for the drain, causing the child to be underwater for 10 terrifying minutes. Due to the prolonged lack of oxygen, he was left with brain damage and will need life-long care.
In South Florida, a toddler drowned as a result of an inadequately installed child-safety fence found around the property’s pool. A seven-figure settlement was obtained for the family in that case.
Bernardo Pimentel II, a Trial Lawyer at the firm, represented the family of a young lobster diver who was killed by a negligent law enforcement officer who did not adhere to divers-down flag laws.
The firm represented the family of a man who was snorkeling with a boat tour company when he drowned. Leesfield & Partners settled the case for $575,000.
Swimming Safety
- Always swim in areas where there is a lifeguard present.
- Pay attention to life guard flags and other weather conditions before venturing out into the water.
- Never leave a child unattended in the water and monitor them closely.
- If you find yourself caught in a rip current, don’t try to fight it. The majority of rip current drownings happen after swimmers have exhausted themselves while trying to escape. Instead of swimming directly for shore, swim parallel to shore until you feel a lull in the current. Then, swim in to shore.
- Make sure all external doors leading to a pool area, or any body of water like a lake or ocean, are equipped with proper locks and alarms. This way, you will know when the door has been opened in case your child manages to unlock it.
- Children should be dressed in bright swimsuits that are easy to spot underwater.
- Never leave a child unattended near a body of water.
- Children who cannot swim should always wear a life vest and be in the water with an adult.
- All pools should be equipped with child safety fences and locks.
- Invest in swimming classes and water safety courses for children and adults.
- Take a CPR course to know what to do in case of an emergency.
- Keep toys away from the pool when not in use to prevent children from falling into the water when potentially trying to reach for them.
- Always completely remove a pool cover before jumping in for a swim.