By Ted Carter

Tybee islanders seldom needed a rescue or other help from the city’s Ocean Rescue operation last beach season, accounting for only 3 percent of rescue responses.

Beach-goers from elsewhere in Chatham County were a different story, however.

Chatham County residents, excluding people from Tybee, accounted for 25 percent of all incidents requiring response by Ocean Rescue, according to a report presented to the Tybee City Council Jan. 28 by Hunter Robinson of Ocean Rescue.

That county last season contributed $10,000 for rescue operations.

Chatham got its money’s worth and more, said Councilman Paul Wolff. “I hope we will note that 25 percent the next time we talk to the county about financial help,” he said.

Georgia residents from outside of Chatham County accounted for 33 percent of all Ocean Rescue responses.

The rescue work helped Tybee to earn Health Magazine’s “2009 Healthiest Beach in America,” Robinson noted.

Tybee’s Ocean Rescue operation consists of 35 lifeguards, six officers and one dispatcher. Headquartered at 1511 Strand Ave., the operation has 10 lifeguard towers and a pier watch station. Main rescue equipment consists of 3 Kawasaki Mules and two pairs of jet skis.

In total, the rescue operation took corrective action 16,244 times, which essentially involved “keeping people out of danger,” Robinson said.

Two drownings occurred, both on the south end of the beach, the stretch of ocean rescue personnel deemed the most hazardous. They performed 326 rescues there, according to Robinson.

The busiest tower?

That would be 15th Street, Robinson said.

July made for the busiest month, with 81 major rescues and 276 minor ones, Robinson noted.

By the end of the month, personnel handled 625 rescues.

June registered the second most incidents, 436 in all. These included 49 major rescues and 198 minor ones.

Rip currents accounted for most of the 108 “pullouts.” The bulk of these occurred in the north and south channels.

Visitor injuries kept rescue crews busy as well. The 827 medical responses included one broken neck, one shark bite, 19 fractures and 59 heat related incidents.

Jellyfish were a frequent menace. Their encounters with swimmers accounted for 785 medical responses, according to the report.

Police calls averaged two a day and ended with 27 arrests.

Along the way, Ocean Rescue “mitigated” 22 fights, Robinson said.