ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. — Safety advocates are encouraging people to learn about the new recommendations when it comes to properly securing an umbrella on the beach.
The American Society of Testing and Materials released a new standard to help prevent injury and death.
The new standard was released in April 2024. A standard-sized umbrella should be secured with 75 pounds of resistance so it does not blow away in winds up to 30 mph.
"These winds, you never know when these big winds are going to come through and just take it. You got all these folks out here. Somebody could get hit," said Carla Viviano.
Sarah Murphy is with beachBUB umbrellas. Her father created an umbrella where sand weighs it down at the base.
"It kind of all started back in 2009 when my dad was sitting on the beach with my mom down in Naples, and an umbrella uplifted in the sand and blew and injured a small child on the beach," said Murphy.
Every year, nearly 3,000 people are injured in umbrella-related accidents in the United States. In 2016, a woman was killed in Virginia Beach by a flying umbrella.
"I would encourage everybody that’s on the beach to take the safety precautions to keep yourself safe and also keep the other beachgoers safe as well," said Murphy.
For more information on beachBUB, visit here.
For more information on the new safety standard, visit here.
Last month, weintroduced you to Jimmy Klass, a Floridian who learned he was not a U.S. citizen after living here for 64 years. ABC Action News reporter Katie LaGrone is following through with updates to his story, while also sharing the story of another Floridian who learned she was not a U.S. citizen after 60 years in the U.S.
