Cocoa Beach choses Rotary Club to lead lifesaving drowning prevention on the beach

Cocoa Beach to replace removed life rings amid legal dispute

Life-saving rings pulled from Cocoa Beach beaches are set to return, but the city is moving forward with a new partner as a legal dispute over who controls the equipment continues.

COCOA BEACH, Fla. - The City of Cocoa Beach is officially moving in a new direction to restore life-saving equipment to its shores. 

Following a series of tragic drownings and a messy legal battle over ownership of the existing rescue stations, city officials announced they will now partner exclusively with the Rotary Club to manage the beach’s life-safety rings.

The backstory:

For years, "Drown Zero" stations — identifiable by their bright orange life rings — have been a staple along the Space Coast, providing emergency flotation devices at beach access points where lifeguards are not always present. However, the program hit a major snag when the Rotary Club of Cocoa Beach filed a lawsuit against Drown Zero.

The Rotary Club claims it owns the stations and equipment, asserting they were the ones who originally funded and rolled out the program. Drown Zero disputes this, arguing they are the rightful owners and creators of the initiative.

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The legal tug-of-war led to the removal of dozens of life rings across Cocoa Beach just as the area saw a spike in water emergencies.

City’s new contract

Seeking a permanent solution to the safety void, the city of Cocoa Beach decided to enter into a new agreement with the Rotary Club. The decision effectively sidelines Drown Zero, the group that many residents had come to associate with the program.

Cocoa Beach Mayor Keith Capizzi explained that the city’s history with the club played a major role in the decision.

"We went with Rotary because we had a previous contract," Mayor Capizzi said. "They’re going to have to get new stations, because who knows whose devices those were in the first place? Only the court will know on that one."

The exclusion has left Drown Zero leadership frustrated. Scott Widerman, the attorney and vice president for Drown Zero, expressed disappointment that the city did not involve them in the new plans.

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"We’ve made it very well known from day one we’d like to put our stations out. Our stations are ready to go," Widerman said. "We were not offered a seat at the table, so it’s disappointing, unfortunately."

What's next:

While the city has chosen its partner, beachgoers shouldn't expect to see the rings return overnight.

The city warned it could take several weeks for the Rotary Club to purchase and install the new stations. Because the ownership of the original equipment is still being argued in court, the new stations will likely feature different branding and equipment to avoid further legal complications.

Mayor Capizzi emphasized the urgency of the situation, noting that the goal is to get the equipment back on the sand as fast as possible to prevent further loss of life. In the meantime, officials are urging swimmers to stay near manned lifeguard towers and to be aware of rip current conditions, which have been particularly dangerous this season.