What to Do If Your Child Gets Lost at the Beach

If your child goes missing at the beach, look in the water first and alert the nearest lifeguard at the same time. The Red Cross says if a child is missing, check the water first: seconds count (opens in a new tab) in preventing death or disability.

A little planning before anyone runs to the waves makes a lost child less likely, and makes the scary minutes shorter if it happens.

If a child is missing: the first minutes

Act right away. Don't wait to see if they turn up.

1. Check the water. Scan the shoreline and the surf near where your child was playing. Drowning is often silent: CDC says drowning happens in seconds and is often silent (opens in a new tab).
2. Tell the nearest lifeguard. Jacksonville Beach Ocean Rescue in Florida says to report to the nearest lifeguard if a member of your group goes missing (opens in a new tab). It says its lifeguard towers and trucks are connected by phones and radios, so they can help you search much faster.
3. Give a clear description. Your child's name, age, height, hair, and exactly what they are wearing. Show the photo you took that morning.
4. Split up the job. One adult stays at your spot or the meeting point in case the child comes back. Others search with the lifeguards.
5. Call 911 if needed. Jacksonville Beach Ocean Rescue says: if you can not find a lifeguard to report a missing person, call 911 immediately! (opens in a new tab)

When your child is found, tell the lifeguards so they can stop the search. Then take a breath, hug your child, and remind them of the plan, without blame.

Before you get to the sand

A few minutes of planning at home prevents most panic later.

• Dress kids in bright colors. A bright swimsuit or hat can make a child easier to pick out in a crowd.
• Take a photo of each child when you arrive. Jacksonville Beach Ocean Rescue suggests you memorize what the children are wearing and keep recent photos (opens in a new tab), for example by taking a family photo on your phone at the start of your visit.
• Teach your phone number, or put it on a wristband for young children.
• Charge your phone so you can call 911.
• Agree on the adults' plan: who is the Water Watcher, and when do you switch?

When you arrive: set your meeting spot

• Set up near a lifeguard stand. You'll be closer to help, and the stand is easy to find again.
• Pick the meeting spot together. Jacksonville Beach Ocean Rescue says to select a landmark to serve as a meeting point (opens in a new tab), and that a good landmark will typically be the nearest lifeguard tower.
• Walk there with your child. Point out the stand's number or the nearest street sign. Ask them to show you how to get back.
• Say hello to the lifeguard with your child, so the lifeguard is a familiar face.

Teach a meeting spot and "find a lifeguard"

Children don't always stay put when they're scared. Give them one simple plan, practiced out loud.

Jacksonville Beach Ocean Rescue says to teach children to go to the nearest lifeguard if they are lost (opens in a new tab), and to teach them that lifeguards are "safe strangers" who are there to help. Children should be able to give the lifeguard:

• their own name,
• a parent's name, and
• ideally, a phone number.

Try a quick practice on the drive or the walk in:

You: "If you can't see me, what do you do?"

Child: "Go to the lifeguard and tell them my name and your name."

You: "Where do we meet?"

Child: "At the lifeguard stand with the blue number 12."

Keep it calm and confident, not scary. More ideas for young children are in teaching kids about ocean safety.

Keep watching, even with a lifeguard

The best way to avoid a lost child is to keep them close and in sight.

• Young children: the AAP says a supervising adult who can swim should be within arm's length (opens in a new tab) of an infant, toddler or weak swimmer in or around water. At a beach, that includes the edge of the water.
• Name a Water Watcher. Pool Safely describes the Water Watcher as an adult tasked with supervising children in the water (opens in a new tab), with no other job. The NWS also says to designate a water watcher who can call 9-1-1 (opens in a new tab).
• Lifeguards don't replace you. NYC Parks says to never leave children unattended near water, even when lifeguards are on duty (opens in a new tab). Jacksonville Beach Ocean Rescue says children require constant supervision to avoid being separated (opens in a new tab).

Be extra careful in busy moments, such as packing up, buying food or a bathroom trip, and whenever several adults are together and each may think someone else is watching. Hand off the job out loud: "You've got the kids now."

Call 911 if not found quickly

If a lifeguard is not nearby, or your child has not been found after a quick search, call 911. Tell the dispatcher:

• the beach name and the nearest street, entrance or lifeguard stand,
• your child's name, age and description, and
• when and where you last saw them, and whether they might be in the water.

Our guide to calling 911 near water explains what to say and how to describe your location.

What you can do today

1. Choose your family's meeting-spot rule: "the nearest lifeguard stand."
2. Practice the "find a lifeguard" script with your children tonight. Make it a game.
3. Teach your child your phone number, or order a plain wristband you can write on.
4. Add these steps to your beach bag with the Beach Safety Checklist for Families.
5. Read the full family beach safety checklist before your next trip.