Drownings May Prompt Beach Safety Changes
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Four drownings at Virginia Beach since mid-July have emergency management officials examining whether they should extend lifeguards’ hours and post more warnings about risky conditions.
All four drownings, including two over the weekend, occurred in rough surf after 6 p.m., when lifeguards at the resort strip go off duty. Red flags warning of dangerous conditions are taken down when lifeguards leave.
The drownings are the first since 1998 at the oceanfront.
An official said the lifeguard schedule, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., was based on the times of heaviest beach use in past years and may need to be changed.
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