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One of the most important priorities in Panama City Beach is beach safety! It's the city's mission to help ensure the safety of the millions of visitors who come to the gorgeous beaches of the Emerald Coast each year.

Water and beach safety is crucial to ensuring the successful vacation experience of each and every individual.

One of the easiest ways to ensure your safety in Gulf waters is to pay close attention to the beach flags that fly at every public beach. The beach flag colors are alerts about water conditions and rip currents. You can also check the daily flag colors on the VisitPanamaCityBeach.com website.

The beach flags fly in 5 different colors, and they mean the following:

• Double red: Danger! Water closed to swimmers!
• Single red: High hazard-high surf and/or strong currents; getting into the water is not advised
• Yellow: Medium hazard-moderate surf and/or strong currents; swimmers should take additional care
• Green: Low hazard-Calm conditions, water is safe; as always, swimmers should exercise caution in the water
• Purple: Presence of dangerous marine life such as jellyfish, stingrays or other hazardous creatures; beachgoers should stay out of the water

It’s extremely important for beachgoers to monitor and follow the flag colors. Double red means stay out of the water.

Rip currents can be unpredictable and very dangerous. They are strong, fast rivers of water that usually flow away from the beach at a very high speed. Usually rip currents are associated with large waves and strong offshore winds, but in rare cases, they occur during calm conditions.

Some of the best ways to identify the presence of rip currents, in addition to the beach flag system, are to look for the following:

• Unusual choppiness
• Discoloration of water
• Debris & foam moving seaward

If you do get caught in a Rip Current, do not panic. Swim parallel to the shore until the current weakens, then swim back towards shore.

In addition to these safety measures, beachgoers should stay together, watch each other and generally be cautious and aware of their surroundings. Sticking together and watching out for one another is key to making sure the beach offers a safe and welcoming environment for everyone! Beach safety is key, so stay alert and pay attention to the colors of the beach flags!

Related Files

• Beach Flag Warning sign
  A description of the beach flag colors and what they mean, as a safety resource for swimmers.
• Rip Current warning sign
  A sign describing the effects of Rip Currents and how to protect yourself in the water.