Beach Safety Information - PANAMA CITY BEACH PARKS AND RECREATION

Make your beach visit as safe as possible:

Always check the beach warning flag status
Listen to Lifeguards, Beach Patrol, & Law Enforcement
Be aware of rip currents and avoid them

Text the word "flag" to 313131 for Panama City Beach flag alerts and updates

Beach warning flags. Banderas de advertencia en la playa. Double Red Flag means water closed to the public. Agua Cerrada al publico. Single Red Flag means High Hazard, high suf, and/or strong currents. Peligro Alto, Resaca Alta y/o corrientes fuertes. Single Yellow flag means Medium Hazard with moderate surf and/or currents. Peligro Medio, Resaca Moderada y/o corrientes fuertes. Single green flag means low hazard, calm conditions, exercise caution. Peligro Bajo, Condiciones calmas, tenga cuidado. Single Purple Flag means Dangerous Marine Life. Vida Marina Peligrosa. Absence of flags does not assure safe waters. La ausencia de banderas no asegura aguas seguras.

Note: The beach flag system is maintained by the Fire Department's Beach Safety Services and Bay County.

Double red flags flying at a Panama City Beach. Indicates to stay out of the water due to rough ocean conditions.

Double Red Flags and Flag that says Stay out of the Gulf

Whenever there are double red flags,
stay out of the water!

Gulf Swimming Hazards: rip currents. Washouts, more commonly called rip currents, are caused by normal wave action against the beach. Water returning to the Gulf creates troughs of deeper water that run away from the beach and may contain dangerously strong currents. How a rip current occurs: waves roll over sandbar, making a pocket of water. A bowl-like indentation in the shoreline sometimes indicates a rip current. Water returning to the Gulf creates a strong, dangerous current that breaks through a gap in the sandbar called a

Please Note:
As of October 1, 2019, the PCB Beach Safety Services & Ocean Lifeguard Program are operated by the PCB Fire Department.