Eight Rescues and Counting

A campaign begun after the drowning death of CNN correspondent Larry LaMotte has finally led officials at one of America’s deadliest beaches to hire lifeguards. With the summer season in full swing, lifeguards are in place along the hugely popular beaches of Walton County, Florida, where hidden rip currents are often strong enough to sweep up swimmers in waist-deep water 10 feet from shore.  Since the lifeguards went on duty in March, there have been eight confirmed rescues and no drownings. But before that, since 2000, more than 50 people had drowned in rip currents along the Florida Panhandle. LaMotte was one of eight who died on one day in 2003, now known by local residents as Black Sunday. LaMotte’s widow, Sandee, helped start the campaign to hire lifeguards after her husband drowned coming to the rescue of his young son who had been caught in the rip current.  His son survived. After a story on 20/20 last year featuring LaMotte’s widow and another woman, Barbara Payne, of Columbia, Missouri,  whose children almost drowned, the Walton County Commission dropped long-standing resistance to hiring a lifeguard force. "I rest a little easier at night knowing the Walton County beaches will be safer than they have ever been. You and ABC 20/20 deserve much of the credit for the hundreds of lives that will be saved not only during the 2006 spring break and summer but in the decades to come," Barbara recently wrote to us.  "While I am thrilled at the progress that has been made so far, there is still work to be done. Many Florida Panhandle counties remain without any lifeguard protection." Sandee echoes Barbara’s concerns that more needs to be done.  The beach at which her husband drowned is still without its own lifeguards. Currently, lifeguards from two nearby beaches cover its waters. Read how you can survive a rip current.