GULF SHORES AND ORANGE BEACH — With 20 or more rescues in a single springtime weekend, beach rescue teams from Gulf Shores and Orange Beach have been training "just about every day" for jet ski rescues.

Joethan Phillips, beach safety chief for Gulf Shores, and Brett Lesinger, beach safety division chief for Orange Beach, recently held a safety demonstration for resources used by both cities to respond to emergencies on the beach and within the 75-100-yard range from the shore into the water.

"Last year, we did the helicopters. This year, we're kind of showing what other tools we have," Lesinger said at the demonstration. "… You know, we have rescue cans, rescue boards, UTVs, beach trucks, PWCs, helicopters, all these things trying to provide safety for the people who might need help in the water."

Lesinger said the 75-100-yard water range is where "most of our rip currents occur," making it a key area of focus on Alabama beaches. He mentioned how the water was calm the day of the demonstration, but with "3- or 4-foot waves out there" changes can happen suddenly and "life gets a little bit difficult for us."

"So, for us lifeguards, our timing is about two minutes — is what we have to be able to successfully rescue somebody," Lesinger said. "We've got to be able to launch a lifeguard, launch an asset, get it to the person who's in distress within that two-minute timeframe and be able to give them flotation in order to stop the distress."

Phillips said jet skis are used in areas not suitable for boats, such as "close to the shore or the surf." Jet skis can "turn on a dime" and get out of rough waters where a boat would typically "get toppled over."

Phillips said the week of May 12, there were five people rescued via jet ski around the Gulf State Park Pier and that during the spring season Gulf Shores will have "anywhere from 20 rescues" in one weekend, so "we do this a lot." He spoke on the differences during major holidays and a typical in-season beach day.

"For Memorial Day, we'll have 12 lifeguard towers; half of those will be doubled up, and then we'll have four patrols, two beach rangers and then three supervising paramedics," Phillips said. "[On a] normal day, we'll have 12 lifeguard towers, four people on the patrols and three paramedics as well."

During the demonstration, a three-member crew simulated what a response to a conscious and unconscious swimmer looks like using a jet ski and the attached rescue sled to safely pull a distressed swimmer to shore.

Lesinger explained how the lifeguard would communicate with the swimmer in distress verbally and using hand signals. In the demonstration, the lifeguard gestured to the swimmer to lift their left arm up. The lifeguard then circled around the swimmer doing a "pretty cool little maneuver" and got the swimmer on the rescue sled.

In the unconscious swimmer scenario, a second lifeguard went out to secure the swimmer onto the ramp after helping the lifeguard who was driving the jet ski to secure the swimmer.

After the demonstration, Phillips reviewed the meanings of the beach warning flags.

A yellow flag means moderate surf and/or currents are expected with a medium hazard. A purple flag means dangerous marine life are present such as jellyfish, Man O' War, etc. With a single red flag, high surf and/or currents are expected, and a high hazard warning is in effect. A double red flag means the Gulf is too dangerous to enter and the water is closed to the public.

Phillips also mentioned that helicopters fly with banners updating beachgoers of the conditions during a single and double red flag.