“Sunny Isles Beach Goers Yield the Flag Warning Program”
By: William Pfeiffer

The Department of environmental protection, the Florida Beach Chiefs Association, the United States Lifesaving Association, and the International Lifesaving Federation has developed a uniformed flag warning program to be used at beach communities around the state.

The uniformed flag warning system is composed of color coded flags to warn patrons and visitors of hazardous conditions at our beaches. The ocean conditions that can make our beaches hazardous change rapidly, on an hourly basis. Piers, jetties, tide changes, winds, and swells all play a major role in the differences of safe and hazardous ocean conditions.

This is an example of the information signs that correspond with the uniform flag warning program.

COLORS: DOUBLE RED RED YELLOW GREEN PURPLE

The flags and signs are located in our city at:

• Lifeguard Towers #16 167th Street Pier Park
• Lifeguard Towers #17 174th Street Samson Park
• Lifeguard Towers #18 180th Street Trump Publics Beach Access
• Lifeguard Towers #19 192nd Street Ellen Wynne Beach Access

In addition, some of our city hotels and resorts are using the Flag Warning Program. They are as follows:

• Newport Beach Resort 16701 Collins Ave.
• Turnberry Ocean Club 16051 Collins Ave.
• Ramada Plaza Beach Resort 19201 Collins Ave.

The Sunny Isles Ocean Rescue Lifeguards participate in the uniformed flag program and use it as a vital tool to warn beach goers of the ocean conditions at our beautiful beaches. Remember ocean conditions change rapidly, you might see a green flag in the morning and a red flag by the afternoons. So, “yield the flag warnings”, be safe, and only swim near a lifeguard.

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