Tybee Island officials advising residents and tourist to stay out of water

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Tropical Storm Nicole is expected to bring wind and some heavy rain to the Coastal Empire Thursday.

Officials on Tybee Island are emphasizing water safety.

This is important for locals to know, and especially folks that are visiting, and may not have experienced tropical storm conditions before. Water conditions on Tybee Island will be dangerous over the next couple days.

Officials from Tybee Island Beach Rescue want people to know that they should stay out of the water.

Tybee Assistant Fire Chief Jordan Johnson says the wind and the waves, along with the tides, create a serious drowning hazard.

Johnson says the waves can push and pull you in all directions and that riptides can pop up at any moment.

This makes attempting a rescue very difficult and dangerous for everybody involved so it’s best not to risk it.

“It puts a lot of my safety personnel in extreme danger if we were going to have to go out in these conditions to rescue somebody. It hinders our response to be able to get to somebody in a timely manner, and when they’re drowning, time is of the essence, so it would definitely hinder our response time,” Tybee Assistant Fire Chief Jordan Johnson said.

Again, officials are urging people not to go into the water for any reason but if you think somebody else in the water is in danger- call 911 immediately.

Johnson adds that Tybee Fire and Beach Rescue will be monitoring the beach to keep people out of the water.

“If you don’t know how the weather’s going to act and you haven’t lived here before, or been here a lot, just stay hunkered down. Don’t think you’re better than the weather. Always have a little bit of caution” Georgia Southern Student Mark bean said.

“If you’re on vacation or you’re visiting our great island, make sure that you stay inside. Watch Netflix, let it come through. Have a board game if the power goes out, which is a slight possibility if a tree falls or we lose a power line. But just stay inside and let it come through,” Johnson said.

These aren’t very pleasant conditions to be getting in the water anyway.

Copyright 2022 WTOC. All rights reserved.