Lifeguards’ busy holiday includes 4 near drownings

The Fourth of July holiday was busy for Manatee County lifeguards who made several water rescues, including four near drownings.

Lifeguards were able to save four victims from drowning on Tuesday — three on Coquina Beach in Bradenton Beach and one at Manatee Public Beach in Holmes Beach, according to Manatee County Marine Rescue Lt. Collin Schmidt.

Of the four near-drowning victims, three had to be taken to a local hospital for treatment.

A sandbar about 60 to 80 yards off the shore of Anna Maria Island was what got those swimmers into trouble, he said.

“They see people out on the sandbar in waist-deep water, and they get a a false sense of security that they can get out to the sandbar without having to swim,” Schmidt said.

But then what often happens is that people, who overestimate their swimming abilities, get tired and into trouble, he said.

In addition to the four near drownings, one lifeguard also had a double water rescue but those swimmers did not need paramedics.

Lifeguards were also busy with other incidents on the beach over the holiday weekend, helping to locate missing children and extinguishing a brush fire started by people grilling on Coquina Beach by using five-gallon buckets of water from the Gulf of Mexico.

This story was originally published July 4, 2017 at 5:46 PM with the headline "Lifeguards’ busy holiday includes 4 near drownings."