- September 18, 2024
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A Flagler Beach police officer was in the right place at the right time to rescue two swimmers in distress on Sept. 19.
Officer Dylan Coffman was driving his patrol car along State Road A1A near Tortugas Florida Kitchen & Bar at approximately 5:43 p.m. when he heard a dispatch call of swimmers in distress near his location, according to FBPD Chief Matthew Doughney.
Coffman pulled over, secured his duty belt, grabbed his department-issued "rescue can" and jumped into action.
Tortugas employee Brooke Qualls snapped a photo of Coffman leaping over the boardwalk railing as he ran to reach the two swimmers caught in a rip current, according to an FBPD Facebook post.
While Coffman was the first on scene, the city's Ocean Rescue Lifeguards and Flagler Beach Fire Department driver and engineer Trey Poeira assisted in the rescue.
"Officer Dylan Coffman's outstanding efforts during an ocean rescue earlier this week has brought national attention to our city and its first responders," an FBPD Facebook post stated. "We're very proud of Dylan, as well as all of our police officers, city firefighters and city Ocean Rescue lifeguards, all of whom do an outstanding job keeping our city safe."
