Summer time means heat, and that generally means tanning and cooling off at the beach. Any beach is a great spot to kick back during the summer weather for sports, swimming or even cookouts. But lifeguards are trying to protect you in more ways than one, here are the top 5 tips they think you need to know when hitting the beach this summer.

Top 5 Things Lifeguards Think You Need to Know This Summer!

While swimming you always need to be aware of rip tides and rip currents. If you find yourself stuck in one, don't struggle against it, as is everyone's first instinct. To safely get back to shore you need to swim parallel to the shore line to escape the pull of the tide. A tip to avoid the rip currents all together is to avoid areas where marine debris is moving outward and the water is darker and choppy. Also if you wear polarized sunglasses, they reduce the sun glare on the water's surface and it will make rip currents even easier to spot.

Did you know many beach goers dump their hot coals from grills or bonfires in the sand? Those briquettes retain heat for up to 24 hours! The coals can cause 1^st degree burns if you step on a patch buried in the sand. To avoid this, keep shoes on when walking in the sand, and avoid walking near old fire pits. If you have a cookout, extinguish coals with water and discard them in a designated receptacle.

Sharks don't generally hunt humans BUT they can be dangerous when chasing prey into shallow waters. To avoid an unwanted shark encounters when swimming, if you see a school of fish avoid them and move to an area away from them, you never know what might be chasing them.

Even dead jellyfish can sting! Their tentacles release venom long after they die, which makes them just as dangerous as lives ones. Once stung use vinegar on the sting it neutralizes the pain-causing toxins.

Never dive into a wave, it can cause serious injury. The counterforce of diving into a wave can be like running in to a wall. By doing so, you can fracture your spine or cause serious nerve or muscle damage. If you want to do some diving the best place for it is the pool.

With these five tips you should have a great beach experience this summer. Play it safe and don't forget the suntan lotion!