FORT MORGAN, Ala. — Dangerous rip currents pulled at least 22 people into trouble in the Gulf on Thursday afternoon, forcing first responders in Fort Morgan into a steady stream of water rescues even as red flags flew along Alabama’s beaches warning swimmers to stay out of the water.
The Fort Morgan Volunteer Fire Department said its crews had responded to at least 22 water rescues by 4:30 p.m. Thursday. At least six people were taken to the hospital, and two were airlifted in critical condition.
Warnings Ignored as Surf Remains Rough
Despite the red-flag warnings posted along the coast, first responders said many beachgoers continued to enter the Gulf throughout the day.
Damon Haun, assistant chief of the Fort Morgan Volunteer Fire Department, said the dangerous surf conditions are a predictable, if frustrating, aftermath of tropical weather moving through the region.
“Usually when these tropical storms roll in, we deal with the bad surf conditions for, it could be weeks after the storm, but definitely the day after the water is going to be really bad,” Haun said.
Haun said every rescue call carries risk not just for swimmers but for the volunteer crews sent to pull them from the water.
“We’re not the fun police,” Haun said. “We just are doing everything that we can. Every bit of power that we have to try to keep people safe, we try to use. And if you listen, we appreciate you. If you don’t, unfortunately, you’re going to get stuck, and we’re going to have to come get you.”
Why Rip Currents Follow Tropical Storms
Rip currents are powerful, narrow channels of water that flow away from shore, often forming or intensifying after storms churn up the Gulf and reshape sandbars close to the beach. They can pull even strong swimmers away from the shoreline quickly, and swimmers caught in one are typically advised not to fight the current directly but to swim parallel to shore until they escape its pull, then swim back to the beach at an angle.
Beach warning flags — with red indicating high hazard and double red signaling a full water closure — are used throughout coastal Alabama to communicate real-time conditions to visitors, though compliance often lags behind the warnings during and after major storm systems.
Officials Urge Caution as Conditions Persist
First responders are asking beachgoers to respect posted beach warning flags and stay on the sand until conditions improve. Officials encourage residents and visitors to stay informed about current Gulf conditions and to follow beach safety guidance available through Baldwin County resources before entering the water in the days following a tropical system.