Butch Arbin: Hi! I am captain Butch Arbin with the Ocean City, Maryland, Beach Patrol. We are talking about how to have a safe and enjoyable day at the beach. In this clip, we are going to be talking about the use of an umbrella and how to properly put it into beach.

When you have a day at the beach, it s great to be in the sun, but it s also great to have a place to retreat to in the shade and an umbrella is the perfect thing for that. Number one, you need to make sure that your beach allows umbrellas and things directed on the beach. If you bring an umbrella to the beach, you need to remember you are responsible for it. Umbrellas can become flying objects and could become dangerous to the people around you. So, when you put your umbrella in, understand how to do it, and how to keep it safe. When you place an umbrella in the beach, you need to make sure you place it in the beach in a rocking back and forth motion. Many people will try to stab it into the ground and keep stabbing it; that will not work.

Some people stab it into the ground and spin it around like a corkscrew; that will not work. You simply place it in the ground, rocking back and forth with each rock back and forth, it will drop further into the sand. Once about one-third of the umbrella pole is in the sand, then it s sufficiently buried. When you finish rocking it back and forth, finish the rock, so it s tilted into the wind, so any wind pushes it into the sand rather lifting it out. Also, you need to be aware that throughout the day, wind direction can change. If the wind direction changes, you need to be prepared to change the tilt of the umbrella, so again the wind is keeping it in the sand as oppose to lifting it out. If the umbrella is in a gusty condition, you may need to make the decision to lower the umbrella and not use it for the rest of that day because it is unsafe. Again, an umbrella is a great retreat away from the sun. It s a great shady placed on the beach for you and your group but again, you need to use it wisely, use it safely, and make sure that everyone has a safe and enjoyable day at the beach.

In our next clip, we are going to be talking about what not to bring with you.