SOUTHERN SHORES, N.C. — July 25 marked National Drowning Prevention Day, a day focused on raising awareness about the importance of water safety efforts.
“I was like, I probably shouldn't have gone out there," said Matt Rudzik, visiting the Outer Banks from Pittsburgh.
Rudzik has been coming to the Outer Banks with his family for the last decade and has been in a situation where the ocean has tested his limits. Water safety is a conversation Rudzik has made sure he has with his children when they are visiting the beach.
“Us having those conversations is critical. Us talking to them, and explaining to them what could happen here, is paramount," said Rudzik.
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National Drowning Prevention Day comes amid two water incidents in our viewing areas this week. One in Norfolk turned into a recovery mission for a man. The other, in the northern Outer Banks, involved a 51-year-old woman who was medflighted after a near-drowning situation.
Mirek Dabrowski is the head of Duck Surf Rescue in the Outer Banks and shares drowning situations are never easy.
“It’s never something that you expect or can anticipate," said Dabrowski.
Ocean Rescue agencies go through countless hours of training for water rescue situations and do their best to advise every beachgoer about the dangers of the ocean.
“We're challenging them, both mentally and physically on a daily basis, and making sure that they know what they have to do and the responsibility that they've accepted," said Dabrowski.
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But it’s also important for each person stepping on the beach to know their limits.
“That's the biggest thing out here. If you know your own limitations, you're not going to get into trouble," said Dabrowski.
Prevention and awareness remain key for the public when it comes to drowning, which is something that nobody ever wants to see happen.
“We want your whole family to go home together as a group. Our main focus is prevention," said Dabrowski.
Dare County, in the past few years, has wheeled out its "Love the Beach, Respect the Ocean" campaign, which is vital in sharing beach safety conditions with visitors.
