Last month you may recall a post titled “When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors” promoting Lightening Safety Awareness Week (June 23-27). Unfortunately, for many southern California beach goers’, the seriousness of this threat became too real this weekend when a powerful lightning bolt struck the water in Venice Beach taking the life of one young man and injuring thirteen other people. The details of this event can be found at the following link: http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/27/us/lightning-strike-venice-beach/
Our takeaway from this terrible event extends beyond knowing what precautions to take if you get caught in a thunderstorm at the beach but rather beach safety in general. The beaches in southern California provide an excellent outdoor recreational resource that many come from all over the country to enjoy. And with our consistently pleasant weather this is a resource that can be enjoyed year-round. However, as with anything, the beach has its own set of natural risks associated with it and it is not uncommon to hear stories about injuries and deaths caused by heat-related illnesses, drowning, sea life (shark bites, jellyfish, etc.), or shore breaks. The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has classified 7 Dangers at the Beach and provides information on each of these so you can be well-informed and enjoy your afternoons on the “Golden Coast” safely this summer. http://www.noaa.gov/features/protecting_0808/beachdangers.html
We encourage the community to partner with the UC Irvine Police Department to prevent or report crime by calling (949) 824-5223. If you wish to remain Anonymous, call “OC Crime Stoppers” by dialing 855-TIP-OCCS (855-847-6227), text "OCCS" plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or use the website http://occrimestoppers.org/
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