Ocean Rescue called for five missing children this weekend

JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — Jacksonville Beach was filled with people enjoying a day at the beach for the holiday weekend.

Although it was a quiet day for water rescues, Jax Beach lifeguards were still busy – with missing children.

Jacksonville Beach Ocean Rescue responded to five missing child calls Sunday and received several more on Memorial Day.

“We see a whole range of emotions, parents being angry, upset, crying,” said Rob Emahiser, captain of the Jacksonville Beach Ocean Rescue.

Emahiser says parent-child meetings are an almost daily sight near the lifeguard building.

For every water rescue they perform, they receive a handful of calls from missing children.

“Asking for help right away means they won’t drift further and further away,” Emahiser said. “Sometimes we find children more than two miles from their families.”

Emahiser has put together a checklist for parents to avoid losing your child.

“Designate someone to watch the kids,” Emahiser said. “Have a place where you're going to hang out, where your stuff is, take a picture of your kids. A picture of that day, what they're wearing. Also teach your kids your phone number.

Having experience as a rescuer herself, Karen Sandelin has a method to ensure that she never loses track of her little one, Teya.

“We always have multiple parents watching over them,” Sandelin said. “Some are up there watching, others in the hotel spying, we have all the phones and we always have an adult in the water with them.”

Sandelin says his method has worked: His family goes to Jacksonville Beach every major summer vacation, and they've never been separated by any of the little ones.

Emahiser hopes that if more parents follow his checklist, lifeguards and police officers can spend more time patrolling the beach and less time waiting for parents with children.

“It's definitely something you want to avoid, and it's easily preventable, but it happens a lot,” Emahiser said.

Last year, lifeguards installed 44 signage at each access point so people could easily see where they were on the beach.

With the Fourth of July and Labor Day still coming up, they hope it will help kids (and adults) get a better idea of ​​where they are if they turn around a little.