CRISTIAN BENAVIDES:
00:00:22
A deadly weekend on Florida beaches after two people died, drowning in suspected rip currents, according to local authorities in Daytona Beach. Friday, a 32-year-old woman died after being carried out into the ocean. In nearby Cocoa Beach Saturday, where red flags warn of dangerous waters, a 17-year-old died, and a 12-year-old was pulled out of the water in critical condition. It's terrible. It's so tragic.
CRISTIAN BENAVIDES:
00:00:47
That's the same beach where 42-year-old father of three Jason Michael DeGray drowned about 2 and 1/2 weeks ago desperately trying to rescue his 12-year-old son, who was carried out by a rip current. A 34-year-old woman also drowned trying to help. First and foremost, we always encourage and want people to swim near a lifeguard.
CRISTIAN BENAVIDES:
00:01:07
Lieutenant Gio Serrano trains lifeguards for Fort Lauderdale Ocean Rescue. You're infinitely more likely to survive if there's a lifeguard present? Absolutely.
CRISTIAN BENAVIDES:
00:01:17
How do you spot a rip current? Look for differences in the water color. A rip current is a channel of churning, choppy water. You can sometimes spot seaweed or debris moving into the ocean. If you get caught in a rip current, what do you do? First and foremost, stay calm. Call for help. Wave for help. Don't fight it. Don't try to swim straight back to shore. Tread water. Let it take you as far as it needs to take you, and try to then swim parallel to shore, to your right or to your left.
CRISTIAN BENAVIDES:
00:01:52
For CBS Mornings, I'm Cristian Benavides in Miami. I think it's so important to keep saying that advice. We do a lot, but it's important to say it over and over. To always swim parallel, but I think when you're in that moment, it seems like it would be very difficult. Stay calm and don't panic. That's so hard, Nate. It's so hard to do. But I think once you do-- and I know we do these stories often, but I think once you have that message-- I get it. You're going to be way out into the middle of the ocean, in some cases. But if you keep the advice that these folks are telling you-- Swim parallel. --swim parallel to the shore, you will get out of that for sure.
