PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Local law enforcement is gearing up for a busy spring break. One week from Friday, students in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota Counties will all be off at the same time...in addition to all of the out-of-town visitors.
Residents and business owners are expecting thousands of people to make their way to Clearwater Beach over the next few weeks.
Bill Collins lives near Clearwater Beach and said it's going to be tough getting through the crowds.
"It was a mad-house here before the pandemic…it's starting to pick back up... I ride my bicycle because the traffic is awful, and there's nowhere to park," said Collins.
With so many people coming to the Tampa Bay Area for vacation, Clearwater Police said you should make some safety preparations.
"When you are bringing kids to the beach, take a picture of them before they go. Make it a fun family selfie, but know what your kids are wearing; there will be so many people here on the beach, and it's not uncommon for them to kind of get lost in the mix," said Meg Hasty, with the Clearwater Police Department.
Officer Hasty is one of many law enforcement officers reminding people of beach rules, like no smoking on Clearwater Beach, no open alcohol, and no leaving trash behind.
"Not only does it look unsightly, but it's also very dangerous for our marine animals and the birds and things of that nature," said Hasty.
But this Spring Break, there's a little bit more to keep in mind after a sand hole collapsed and killed a seven-year-old girl in South Florida.
"If you are digging a hole, it's not past your waist; it's not past your kid's waist. Be with them and play with them. Make this a family interactive event," said Hasty.
Clearwater Police said they are expecting a busier spring break than in previous years because they've already seen people come out to the beach just days ahead of the actual Spring Break vacation, and they are asking everyone to be hyper-aware of their surroundings.
Clearwater Police will have extra patrols along the beach and monitoring traffic.
"The further you get down there, it's nonstop. People are barhopping all day long," said Eric Hackney, a bartender at Reefers Social Club in Clearwater Beach.
Hasty also said police will be speaking with restaurant employees in the area to get information on where big crowds will be headed.
"We get a lot of that information from the local businesses and hoteliers, and therefore we can plan with extra officers," said Hasty.
Hackney is excited for the large crowds headed his way.
"Oh, it's huge. It's so important. So many bars depend on this time of year, obviously Spring Break and April is very busy. It's been a very cold winter here in Florida, all of January, most of February, and it hurt a lot of businesses, so we are really looking forward to it," said Hackney.
