Drown Zero, Cocoa Beach Rotary Club battle over ‘lifesaving ring’ ownership in court

Beach safety battle underway over lifesaving rings

A courtroom battle is now underway regarding lifesaving beach rings after two people drowned in Cocoa Beach. The floatation devices are at center of a heated ownership dispute between the Rotary Club of Cocoa Beach and company "Drown Zero."

COCOA BEACH, Fla. - A battle over beach safety is brewing in Brevard County as critical life-saving rescue stations have been removed from the sand following a tragic double drowning.

The unstaffed posts, which feature drowning prevention tips and flotation devices, are currently at the center of a heated ownership dispute between the Rotary Club of Cocoa Beach and company, Drown Zero.

The backstory:

For years, these stations served as a vital lifeline for beachgoers – strategically placed between staffed lifeguard towers that can sometimes be up to a mile apart.

Drown Zero Vice President and attorney Scott Widerman confirmed that the stations were recently pulled from the city limits because an agreement between the parties expired.

While stations on county beaches and private properties remain, the ones in the heart of Cocoa Beach are gone. The issue stems from an ownership battle between the Rotary Club and Drown Zero.

Read more: Drowning awareness, rescue stations abruptly pulled from Cocoa Beach

A fight over life-saving equipment

The dispute has now moved from the shoreline to the courtroom, with both sides claiming the equipment belongs to them.

"There is no evidence, none," said Aaron Thalwitzer, attorney for the Rotary Club of Cocoa Beach, regarding Drown Zero's claim. "Nothing was transferred to him. Everything was done through Rotary, purchased by Rotary, operated by Rotary."

The Rotary Club argues they should maintain control because they launched the project years ago and continue to maintain the stations. They expressed "disappointment" over the removal, stating they made multiple attempts to resolve the issue amicably before legal action was initiated.

Widerman, representing Drown Zero, sees it differently. He argues that while the Rotary Club may have donated money early on, that donation does not equal ownership or rights to the trademark and company.

"It’s unbelievable that somebody could make [those] statements," Widerman said. "The Rotary is taking a different position than they’ve taken on any other function or any other group that they give donations to."

Beach safety in jeopardy

The timing of the removal has sparked concern among the community. Just days before the stations were pulled, two tourists drowned in Cocoa Beach after being caught in a suspected rip current while trying to save a child.

Both legal teams acknowledged the tragedy but remain at an impasse.

"This shouldn’t be necessary, but when the stations are taken away, when things are taken off of them and changed... when you can’t work it out between the parties, that’s what courts are for," Thalwitzer said.

"It’s a shame," Widerman added. "I feel bad. I think the citizens are probably taking the hit because we don’t have the right to put our stations out."

What's next:

The case will continue at the Brevard County Courthouse in Viera. A recent hearing ended without a resolution because there wasn't enough time to hear from all witnesses.

As of now, a follow-up hearing date has not been set, and there has been no discussion regarding a temporary "truce" to get the rings back on the beach while the lawsuit proceeds. Legal experts suggest the battle over ownership could drag on for months.