PANAMA CITY BEACH − The majority of people who responded to a News Herald poll said lifeguards and public safety agencies are the people best able to decrease the number of beach drownings.
The online poll asked readers which group is best positioned to help decrease these coastal tragedies. The options: local government, tourists and beachgoers, lifeguards and public safety agencies, or none of the above.
A total of 113 people voted in the poll. The option for lifeguards and public safety agencies received 59 votes, or about 52% of the total.
Tourists and beachgoers received 38 votes, or almost 34%; local government received 12 votes, or almost 11%; and none of the above received four votes, or a little more than 3%.
According to past reports, there were nine local drownings in 2023, seven in 2024, three in 2025, and so far in this year, there have been two. Almost off of them were tourists who died after getting caught in rip currents.
Most local beach drownings happen in unguarded areas of the beach, or portions where lifeguards are not present. Both of the drownings from this year happened within the city limits of Panama City Beach.
All three of the 2025 beach drownings were within PCB. Of the 2024 beach drownings, three happened within PCB, with four others off unincorporated Bay County beaches. Of the 2023 beach drownings, six happened off the coast of PCB, and three others were off unincorporated beaches.
Though the entire Panama City Beach area is often grouped together and known as “the Beach,” there are two different organizations that patrol the coast.
Panama City Beach lifeguards are traditionally stationed in towers around the Russell-Fields Pier. Bay County surf rescue specialists are positioned at Rick Seltzer Park and the M.B Miller Pier. The rest of the nearby coast is covered by roving patrols from either department.
For more information on local beach conditions and to sign up for daily text alerts, text “PCBFLAGS” to 888777.
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: News Herald poll asked which group could decrease drownings. Results:
Reporting by Nathan Cobb, Panama City News Herald / The News Herald
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Nathan Cobb, Panama City News Herald | USA TODAY Network
