Surf City installs safety stations at beach accesses

SURF CITY, NC (WWAY) — If you’re heading to Surf City, there are now 39 safety stations at each beach access. 

The Surf City Fire Department installed the safety stations. Each one has safety information about how to read warning flags on the beach.  

Purple means marine sea life like jellyfish are present, yellow means moderate surf conditions, red means high surf, and a double red flag means there’s an extreme hazard.  

Each station also has a floatation device and instructions on how to help someone who’s drowning.  

One surf city resident says he was once saved by a good Samaritan on the beach and is glad to see the safety stations installed. 

“I was a kid, but it was some random dad, he literally just ran out. I was in a rip current like right near the pier on that side and he just ran out and got me and saved me,” he said. 

Last year, two visitors drowned in Surf City, and the town hopes the new safety stations will be another tool to help prevent drownings at the beach.