ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH, Fla. – Lifeguards are asking people to be extra careful at the beach this weekend.
Friday, St. Johns County Fire Rescue issued a red flag warning for all of their beaches due to rough surf.
Officials said the important thing is to know what those flags mean. Yellow is for medium risk. And red is for when things get serious. SJCFR expects a large turnout at the beach Saturday, and people need to keep these things in mind.
Edita Pavilomiene and her family are visiting St. Augustine Beach from Chicago. They're well aware of how important it is to be careful when the surf gets a little rough, especially when it comes to the little ones.
"We were just holding them, didn't go too far. I think that's the main thing," Pavilomiene said. "You just don't go too deep in the water."
St. Johns County Fire Rescue issued a red flag warning for all area beaches, meaning rip currents were a concern. Jeremy Robshaw with Fire Rescue said it's not uncommon to see red flags this time of year, but that doesn't mean beachgoers should ease up.
Last month, a 19-year-old man drowned after getting caught in a rip current at Mickler's Landing.
"Remember when you're in the ocean, you're in an uncontrolled environment and always have to be aware of the conditions," Robshaw said. "And be aware of your abilities within those conditions."
Fire Rescue said if you are caught in a rip current, the important thing to do is to not fight the current. Swim out of it, then go to shore. If you can't escape, float or tread water. If you need help, call or wave.
"If we do have surf conditions, certainly swim in areas that are populated where there's other people around," Robshaw said. "Never swim alone. Know your limitations. Just pay attention to the wind conditions as the day goes on. If the wind is picking up if the surf is picking up, make sure you're paying attention to that."
Robshaw said lifeguard crews will be out and about this weekend ready to offer assistance, something they want beachgoers to always remember.
"Certainly that measure of safety will be there," Robshaw said. "As far as conditions go, we will evaluate that in the morning to see what kind of flags we will fly at that time."
Fire Rescue said if the flags do go to red again Saturday, they will be updating through social media, including on their Facebook page.