Red flags fly over Volusia County beaches because of rip currents

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. (FOX 35 WOFL) - People are crowding onto Central Florida beaches this holiday weekend, but red flags are flying over Volusia County surf because of dangerous rip currents that can drag people out into the ocean.

Lifeguards rescued one person on Saturday. Lauren Smith saw it happened and says that it was "scary, very scary." She went on to say that the swimmer couldn't make it back on his own. "They actually had to take boats out to get the person out of the rip current."

They say that if you get caught in a rip current, stay clam, and don't fight the current. Swim parallel to the shore until you are out of the current and then swim to the shore. If you can't swim out of the current, calmly float or tread water and wave or shout for help. If you have any questions about rip current safety, you can always ask a lifeguard. They also pass out these little pamphlets that show you how you can swim out of one.

Smith says her parents taught her from a young age how to swim out of a rip current and she'll be teacher her kids. "That's definitely something I'll be discussing with them as soon as they're old enough to venture out on their own," she says.

It's important to always swim in front of a lifeguard at the beach.