9 Swimmers Rescued From Rip Currents: Sarasota County

SARASOTA, FL — An off-duty Sarasota County Fire Department lifeguard rescued a family of seven caught in a rip current at Lido Beach on Saturday, according to a Sarasota County news release.

A storm struck the area around 5 p.m., creating dangerous post-storm conditions, including rip currents.

The current carried the seven swimmers more than 200 yards into the Gulf of Mexico, the county said.

Mariano Martinez, a six-year veteran lifeguard for Sarasota County who also spent 15 years as a lifeguard in his home country of Argentina, happened to be at Lido Beach when the storm rolled through and he received a water rescue alert through the Pulse Point app.

Despite being off-duty, Martinez’s instincts kicked in, the county said. He grabbed a rescue tube and swam out to the group of swimmers in distress.

“Rip currents are powerful channels of water moving away from shore, capable of pulling even the strongest swimmers out to deeper waters,” the county said.

When he reached the swimmers, he discovered there were nine of them, most in distress. Two of the swimmers had tried to rescue the others before Martinez arrived. In Spanish, he urged the group to stay as calm as possible.

He made multiple trips using bodyboards and his rescue tube to bring the swimmers safely back to shore.

“I have, always, in my car, or wherever I am, my rescue stuff because I love responding,” Martinez said, adding, “I can’t explain the feeling. You cannot explain when you are watching a person and his or her life is in your hands.”

Among those rescued, six were evaluated and one was treated and released at the scene by Sarasota County Fire Department personnel.

“It’s days like this that make the work we do so rewarding,” Rick Hinkson, the department’s lifeguard chief, said. “Working with someone as selfless and brave as Mariano makes it all that much better. He truly went above and beyond to save the family, and that is something to be commended. We’re proud to have him as a lifeguard here with us.”