The Gulf Shores area continues to be filled with families with spring break season underway, and officials are reminding locals and visitors alike of beach safety tips during the vacation period.
According to the city, the 32 miles of sugar-white sand beaches along the Alabama Gulf Coast attracts nearly eight million visitors and brings more than $7.3 billion into the local economy. The city also reports that the local tourism industry accounts for $2.4 billion in wages and salary. Hotels in Gulf Shores are already reported to be at 80% occupancy through the end of March.
The city provides seasonal lifeguard services between March and October and encourages the public to swim at the protected public swimming areas when lifeguards are present. Grant Brown, the Recreation and Cultural Affairs Director for Gulf Shores, said more lifeguards were added to beach patrols ahead of the increase of visitors during the vacation period.
“We now have a battalion chief who is in charge of our beach lifeguard and safety operations,” Brown said. “The majority of our permanent lifeguards are all paramedic trained. And so, we've really upped our game over the last five or six years to make sure that the quality of the lifeguards that we have at the beach can handle medical calls as well as lifesaving calls.”
The hiring of more lifeguards at greater pay comes after Gulf Shores saw a reported 60% jump in the number of people needing to be rescued from the surf. Brown said concerns about safety also go beyond people splashing in the water.
“Some of the problems that we see in our spring break area are people digging big holes in the sand, which is actually pass an ordinance against it," Brown observed. “And so, our police department or lifeguards try to explain that to people and make sure that they're doing safe things. We have zero tolerance for glass containers on the beach.”
Gulf Shores is also banning alcohol during Spring Break for the eighth year in a row. The city council first passed an ordinance back in 2016 that prohibits the consumption of liquor on beaches during March and April. The decree is in effect through April 28, and violators are subject to fines of up to $500 and six months in jail.
The recurring ordinance has been the city's solution to issues frequently reported during spring break vacation. Brown said the decree has turned the once college-filled beaches into a laid-back family-oriented environment.
Learn more about the Gulf Shores community, attractions and services through the City Resource Center, found here.
