Apr 6, 9:05 PM

Shark Web site tracks attacks

By Brad Buck
FLORIDA TODAY

Log on and find out where the sharks are biting.

It's called the Global Lifeguard.

Bill Schauman, a Floridana Beach resident and a captain at the Indian River Shores Public Safety Department, wants to recruit people in Brevard County to help his effort to update his Web site about ocean conditions, shark attacks, jellyfish and other sea creatures.

Information for the site, www.sharksurvivor.com, comes from lifeguards and other people experienced in ocean safety to alert the public about ocean conditions and the locations of shark attacks.

"Our idea is that ocean safety is a team effort," Schauman said. "Most of your beaches are not guarded. Everyone can become a lifeguard. We try to recruit people to list ocean conditions on our site."

The Web site is operating in Indian River County and will start up soon in Brevard County, Schauman said.

Wyatt Werneth, chief lifeguard for Brevard County, said he's excited about Schauman's effort.

"I'm interested in it. I'm waiting for him to get everything online," Werneth said. "It's the universal red, yellow and green symbols. It's stuff that we use. It's a way to expand public education. I want to be able to educate people between a shark attack and anything else that might bite you."

Eight years ago, when Schauman's wife, Dawn, was 61/2 months pregnant, she was attacked by an 8-foot bull shark about 2 miles south of Sebastian Inlet, Schauman said.

The Schaumans decided to turn that experience into something positive, so two years ago they created the Web site to inform people nationwide about shark safety. Most shark attacks can be prevented, and victims are usually people who know the water conditions but go into the ocean anyway, Schauman said.