Tammy Perreault, 63, was fatally injured in the crash when a gust of wind pulled the beach umbrella from its mooring around 12:40 p.m. on a Garden City beach, Horry County Chief Deputy Coroner Tamara Willard told local CBS news station WBTW-TV. .
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Perreault died at the hospital nearly an hour later as a result of chest trauma. Willard told WBTW-TV that the rogue umbrella did not belong to Perreault. In a statement from Horry County, released Thursday afternoon, authorities called Perreault’s death “tragic.” Story continues below ad “We understand that several good Samaritans and off-duty medical professionals provided initial care to the victim on the beach,” the statement said. “Their actions to provide comfort and first aid are honorable and appreciated. We also thank the first responders from Murrells Inlet Garden City Fire Rescue, Horry County Police Department Beach Patrol and Beach Services, Ltd., who provided emergency medical services and transport to an area hospital.”
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The statement says police are “continuing to investigate the matter”. At the time of the incident, winds on the beach were blowing between 10 and 15 miles per hour, with some gusts reaching 20 miles per hour, according to News13 Chief Meteorologist Frank Johnson. Surprisingly, umbrella-related injuries are relatively common. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) wrote that “airborne beach umbrellas can be dangerous, even deadly.” The organization claims it is vital that umbrellas are properly secured to prevent injury.
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Most beach umbrellas are equipped with a sharp tip and anchors designed to push sand at least two feet (60 cm) deep. The CPSC also recommends that beach umbrellas face the direction of any winds so that the wide canopy is not lifted off the ground. Story continues below ad The CPSC claimed that 31,000 people were hospitalized for umbrella-related injuries in the US alone between 2008 and 2017. Injuries ranged in severity, though most victims were women over 40. 4:11How A Greener Future is cleaning up Ontario’s beaches Previous Video Next Video © 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
