Palm Beach Uses Prepared Assist to Rescue Swimmer Lost in Rip Current

A rip current is a, “powerful, narrow channel of fast-moving water…Moving at speeds of up to eight feet per second, [they] can move faster than an Olympic swimmer.”

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, rip currents account for 80% of beach rescues and nearly 75 deaths every year.

Recently, the Town of Palm Beach Police Department received a call from a swimmer that’d gotten stuck in a rip current, drifted far from their entry point into the water, and washed up along the seawall sometime near dusk.

Luckily the swimmer had their cell phone and dialed the Department’s administrative line who, using Prepared Assist, sent the caller a link to livestream and share location.

“We were able to see what exactly what part of the seawall they were on and were able to guide our first responders to take them out of the water,” said Angela Olivares, Lead Telecommunications Supervisor.

The caller was not in need of any medical attention but the time of day added urgency to the situation, making a quick rescue paramount. Olivares concluded, “It was a really good case that helped us.”

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We are grateful to the Town of Palm Beach Police Department for their quick, effective work in rescuing this swimmer and are glad that the victim is safe.

To learn more about bringing Prepared Assist to your agency, click here.