Jellyfish, Riptides & Such

New 5 Flag Warning System In Orange Beach

If you are on a beach that only uses 3 flags:

Please Note: Gulf Shores made it ILLEGAL to swim off public beaches when a red flag is flying !

Also: If there are no flags present, it DOES NOT mean that the waters are safe !

Rip Current 

If you see a red flag it means NO SWIMMING -- There is Dangerous Surf or Rip Current Undertow!

What is a rip current?   A current or stream of water that carries you AWAY from the shore.

What does one do if caught in a rip current?  Stay Calm. Do NOT fight the current. Even strong swimmers often cannot swim against these waters. Escape the current by swimming in a direction parallel to the shore line. When you are free of the current, swim AT AN ANGLE to the shore. If you are unable to escape float or tread water till the current weakens and then swim at an angle to the shore.

If at any time you feel you will not be able to reach the shore, immediately face the shore, wave your arms and cry for help. 

Jellyfish & Portuguese Man-of-War

Tips:
* Carefully remove any remaining tentacles to avoid additional stings. DO NOT use bare hands.
* Immediately rinse area with saltwater. Fresh water will make the situation worse by causing the stinging cells that have not discharged yet do so.
* Adolph's Meat Tenderizer is a common remedy. A paste can be made by mixing the meat tenderizer with saltwater.  Another possible remedy is vinegar.
* If you have any difficulty swallowing or breathing call 911 immediately.

Portuguese Man-of-War

Although commonly called a jellyfish, the Portuguese Man-of-War is actually a colony of 4 different types of polyps. The body is usually blue with a pink crest and the tentacles are a combination of blue, pink and purple. As beautiful as this animal is, it should never be touched! Even a dead and dried up Man-of-War is still poisonous and capable of stinging. The tentacles can be extremely long, so even if you are not close to the floating "helmet" body you could hit one of its highly venomous tentacles.

The man-of-war can inflict extremely painful stings. Symptoms include severe shooting pain described as a shock-like sensation, and intense joint and muscle pain. Pain may be accompanied by headaches, shock, collapse, faintness, hysteria, chills, fever, nausea and vomiting. Initial contact may result in only a small number of stings. However, efforts to escape from the tentacles may cause stinging cells that have not discharged to do so and intensify stings. Care should be taken when removing the adhering tentacles. Severe stings can occur even when the animal is beached or dead. The Man-of-War sting is very painful and may require further medical treatment to control the pain. If any breathing difficulty occurs, CALL 911 immediately.

General Safety Tips

Coming Soon !!!

Stingrays and What to Do If You Are Stung

Atlantic Stingray

On September 4, 2006 Steve Irwin (aka "The Crocodile Hunter") tragically died when a stingray barb pierced his heart. Steve was very unfortunate since stingray stings are rarely fatal. 

If stung by a stingray:

It is very important, that after any sting, bite or attack, the appropriate medical treatment is sought.
Despite the tragic death of Steve Irwin, stingray stings are rarely fatal. Stingray stings are caused by a sharp barb that transmits a protein-based venom. This venom causes extreme pain that will spike and decrease over the next several hours, and often leave cuts and abrasions at the sting site. It is common for a sting to bleed and swell.

1. Go to the nearest minor medical facility immediately. They will X-ray to see if any part of the stingray's barb is embedded in the wound, (usually on a foot or ankle). They will give you a prescription for antibiotics. 
2. If possible, soak the wound in the hottest water you can stand on the way to treatment. It will lesson the pain and help deactivate the venom.

If you cannot get to a medical facility immediately:

1. Expose the sting by removing any clothing around the affected area.
2. Soak the affected limb in the hottest water tolerable for at least an hour in unable to get medical help right away. . Because stingray venoms are composed of heat-labile proteins, doing this will alter the tertiary structure of the polypeptide protein molecule by denaturing and thereby deactivating the poison. Ultimately this means that the venom will have less effect. The venom will often become gel or jelly-like and ooze from the open wound--this is good.
3. Wrap the wound in a makeshift bandage from any available clean, lint-free cloth soaked in hot water once the wound has stopped oozing.
4. Use a topical antibiotic to reduce the chance of infection and relieve pain. If the wound site shows any signs of infection, such as redness, prolonged swelling, or pus, seek medical attention immediately. Topical antibiotics are not a substitute for proper medical attention. Untreated infections can result in loss of limbs or death. 


Tips:
Vinegar, meat tenderizer, urine, orange juice, ki-ora or any other liquid besides almost-scalding hot water will NOT be effective against stingray venom. (Acids may, however, ease jellyfish stings.) 

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