Former firefighter dies trying to save swimmers from rip current, Georgia officials say
A former Georgia firefighter with a “genuine heart” died trying to save struggling swimmers off the Florida coast, officials said.
Richie Alford is being hailed as “a true hero” after the ill-fated rescue attempt, which left his onetime colleagues “devastated and heartbroken.”
Until 2021, Alford worked for Fire and Emergency Services in Banks County, Georgia. The department, based roughly 75 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta, said it “lost a friend and brother not just a coworker.”
“Richie died doing what he loved which was helping others in their time of need,” officials wrote June 15 in a Facebook post. “He is a true hero.”
Alford died in Panama City Beach, Florida, WANF and WAGA reported. While visiting the Gulf Coast town with his wife, the 51-year-old reportedly helped two swimmers “caught in a rip current” but didn’t “make it back to shore.”
Georgia firefighters are mourning the loss of Alford, who they said kept close ties to their department even after leaving it to work for his glass business. He is remembered as a selfless person with a “genuine heart.”
“From catching an alligator to passing out shoeboxes to the citizens of the local nursing homes, Richie cared about everyone and wanted to help anyone he possibly could, no matter what or how,” his former department told McClatchy News in an email. “He was such a loving, caring individual.”
After Georgia firefighters shared the news of Alford’s death, Panama City Beach Fire Rescue joined dozens of Facebook users in expressing their condolences online.
What is a rip current?
Rip currents are “powerful, narrow channels of fast-moving water” that happen on the coasts of the U.S. and in the Great Lakes, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
About 100 people are killed by rip currents each year in the U.S., NOAA reported. Lifeguards rescue thousands of people from rip currents annually.
Experts say people can take steps to stay safe from rip currents, including:
Check the local water conditions before getting in.
Talk to a lifeguard at the beach about the conditions.
Only swim at beaches where lifeguards are present.
Don’t assume great weather means good swimming conditions.
This story was originally published June 16, 2023 at 10:58 AM with the headline "Former firefighter dies trying to save swimmers from rip current, Georgia officials say."
