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 Safety flags have been removed from most state parks in Florida to prevent lawsuits like one filed by the family of a drowning victim, officials say. The suit alleges that red flags were inadequate to warn people out of the water at St. Andrews State Park in Panama City. Removing the flags puts the responsibility for entering the water on each visitor, said Kathalyn Gaither, a spokeswoman for the state's Department of Environmental Protection. The family of Daniel Heede, 52, of Barnhart, MO sued the state in April, after he was awarded a medal from the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission for sacrificing his life trying to save a couple caught in a rip current. Heede died May 2, 2002, after jumping into the Gulf of Mexico in the rescue attempt although red flags warned that surf conditions were too dangerous for swimming. Other swimmers rescued the couple. Lifesaving Resources Inc. - www.lifesaving.com - 603/563-8330 |
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