Woman Dies After Being Impaled by Beach Umbrella

Posted: August 18, 2022 3:43 am

A terrible tragedy unfolded at a South Carolina beach last week when a woman died after being impaled by a beach umbrella pole. The South Carolina woman lost her life last Wednesday when a loose beach umbrella went flying through the air and impaled her in the chest.

High Winds Send Umbrella Flying Through Air

Tammy Perreault died of chest trauma after the tragedy in Garden City, South Carolina, located approximately 10 miles southwest of the popular vacation spot of Myrtle Beach. The umbrella got swept away by high winds before hitting the 63-year-old. Perreault was rushed to Waccamaw Hospital where she was pronounced dead.

The accident happened after a storm the previous week in Bethany Beach, Delaware sent dozens of beach umbrellas into the ocean. While nobody was reported injured in this incident, it serves as a reminder at how these large umbrellas can turn into projectiles in a hurry. It is not uncommon to see wind gusts of up to 20 mph on beach areas. This wind speed can send umbrellas hurtling through the air and toward beach-goers.

Flying Beach Umbrellas Not Uncommon

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), nearly 3,000 people are treated at emergency rooms each year as a result of beach umbrella injuries. The most likely trigger of the injuries are umbrellas that are not anchored into the sand properly.

Many lawmakers have tried to raise public awareness about the importance of securing umbrellas properly while at the beach. Virginia senators Tim Kaine and Mark Werner asked the CPSC to review safety rules for these types of umbrellas after a woman in their jurisdiction was also killed by a errant umbrella in 2016.

In addition, the New Jersey legislature has also considered a bill that would have mandated that umbrellas be tethered and secured into the sand. That bill did not make it through the process of being signed into law.

How to Protect Yourself

You can protect yourself and those around you by following some basic safety tips when using these large umbrellas. The first thing to do is to thoroughly read the instructions when assembling your umbrella. Every umbrella is different, making it important that you understand the safety instructions associated with your particular product.

The next thing to consider is where you decide to set up your umbrella. This starts with checking the direction of the wind. You do not want to choose a spot where the wind will likely funnel and create more havoc. Your ideal spot should also not be on a slope. Choosing an area closer to the water will likely provide more moist sand to stabilize the umbrella. In addition, areas closer to the water also tend to be flatter, making it easy to anchor the umbrella.

Once you have chosen your spot, clear out a handful of loose sand so that you are able to get to the wetter and firmer sand below. Now it is time to insert the pointed end of the umbrella pole into the middle of the area you have prepared. Be sure that you press the umbrella deeply into the sand, rocking it back and forth to burrow it as far as possible. A good goal is to bury at least one-third of the pole into the sand. You should then build up and push down the sand behind the pole to anchor it firmly into the sand.

By angling the umbrella toward the direction of the wind, you will push the pole farther into the sand. You can secure your umbrella further by using a specialized anchor. These types of anchors are designed to drill the umbrella into the ground and secure it in place.

Lastly, it is important to remember that even the best secured umbrella can get swept up by the wind in the right conditions. Be sure to keep an eye on your local forecast if you are headed out to the beach. Enabling smartphone notifications will also keep you abreast of any changing conditions.

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