Safety
Beach patrol keeps an eye on surf and sand at 6 mph
Head nods. Two-finger salutes. Beanie Babies. It’s not a parade, it’s just a low maintenance day for the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office Beach Patrol.
Capt. Chuck Weaver, the commander of Beach and Marine Patrol, gets the same amount of attention in his utility vehicle as he would if it were a parade float. Beach-goers of all ages wave, smile and acknowledge him as he goes by.
“I feel like we have a very good relationship with our community as a whole,” said Commander John Prevatte of the Marine Patrol.
On utility task vehicles, or UTVs, and four-wheelers, the patrol keeps one eye on the water and another on the shore.
Deputy Ken Davis of the beach patrol said the vehicles reach 6 mph at the maximum.
“If we’re going fast, we’re not gonna be able to see,” he said.
Each deputy is also a lifeguard and emergency medical responder certified.
The team alternates officers, times on the beach and location to avoid a “tunnel vision” perspective because every day isn’t a parade.
For instance, Prevatte was operating the drone that searched the shore when a Waccamaw High School student drowned last month. Tragedies like that reinforce their duty to educate the public about rip currents, such as how to spot one and how to escape.
“It’s definitely something to be aware of,” Prevatte said.
Rip currents are channelized currents of water flowing away from the shore. They commonly form near structures such as piers.
The beach patrol reminds anyone who goes into the ocean to stay calm – rip currents don’t pull people under, the swimmer just gets too tired to fight back.
“Swimming in the ocean is a lot different than swimming in a pool or even a lake,” Deputy Porter Magnuson said.
Swim parallel to the shore to escape a rip current. If that doesn’t work, draw attention to yourself by waving for assistance from a trained professional.
The beach patrol also looks for violations of county ordinance and state laws, such as glass bottles, indecent exposure and unleashed dogs.
“Like most of our deputies, we’re not here to ruin anybody’s good time or anything,” Prevatte said.
“People can be difficult, no matter what,” Magnuson added. “It just all depends on the situation.”
The Georgetown deputies are equipped for any situation, especially those that require teaming up with local firefighters. In a compartment on the back of their vehicles, they carry an automated external defibrillator and a ventilator for CPR.
“If we’re on the beach, then it’s much more likely that we might be closer to them so we can respond to someone having health issues or anything like that,” Magnuson said.
They also carry general first aid tools such as gloves, gauze, splints and scissors. And for an occasional jellyfish sting: shaving cream with aloe.
“Nothing else like you might have heard people suggest to do,” Weaver said, hinting at using urine as a solution.
In the compartment next to the medical supplies, something most important to children: Beanie Babies. Giving out stuffed animals to children on the beach is crucial for the beach patrol to develop positive relationships with the community.
Weaver’s goal is to show children that he’s not a “bad person,” and instead think, “they care.”
“What’s up, bud?” Weaver asked an autistic boy. The boy’s special interest is vehicles, so Weaver offered to take a picture in it. The UTV doesn’t have a horn, but the two played pretend with their own “beeps.”
Along with suggesting local restaurants to tourists, Weaver’s main job is to educate, which he believes most people appreciate. It’s apparent when the vacationing families invite him to cookouts and gatherings.
Even though his area of responsibility stretches from the ocean to to the highway, the families stay familiar to him. Weaver recognizes certain beach-goers who he knew as children: “they were this tall,” lowering his hand to the sand.
He recalls familiar faces coming up to him to say, “Hey Mr. Chuck, remember when…”
To Weaver, all the nods and waves mean they’re glad the deputies are there. “That makes people feel more comfortable,” he said.
In return, Weaver feels like he’s fulfilling a purpose – it’s the job he needs to be doing.
“That’s why I keep doing what I’m doing,” he said.
