Aqua Alert is a 501(c) Nonprofit
AQUA ALERT MODELS
Prior to the Aqua Alert Foundation existing, the founders helped create two styles of pilot programs. There is the County model and the National model. The original Aqua Alert pilot program is the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office, which is the County model. The National (Aqua Alert Act) model is set-up through the U.S. Coast Guard.
The following sections include the stories of each program:
PART 1:
Okaloosa County Aqua Alert
Original Pilot Program
A collaborative effort between the Schink Family, City of Destin, Okaloosa County Sheriffs Office, Okaloosa County Board of Commissioners, Florida Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Coast Guard, and Destin Fire Control District, in the creation of a public alert notification system to aid in the search for missing individuals involved in small watercraft accidents.
The "Aqua Alert" notification is set up as an app through the Okaloosa County Sheriffs Office. Individuals looking to be involved in the program may download the app at no charge.
For further instructions on using the Okaloosa County Sheriffs app click the button below!
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On August 11, 2023, the Okaloosa County pilot program made their first rescue. Click on the video to view the story of the Hendricks family meeting the Schink family as the creators of Aqua Alert meet the first people rescued using an Aqua Alert.
QUOTE
"I never dreamed of having an
accident on the water."
-DeNell Hendricks
Aqua Alert's 1st Rescue
PART 2:
Aqua Alert Act
Congressional Overview
Directs the U.S. Coast Guard to establish a pilot program to issue AMBER Alert-style alerts to the public to facilitate the public's cooperation in rendering aid to distressed individuals on and under the high seas, on and under the waters over which the U.S. has jurisdiction, and imperiled by flood.
The Coast Guard will operate this pilot program within three different Coast Guard sectors in diverse geographical regions across the country.
The Aqua Alert Act
H.R. 7900 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 Phillips (D-MN) - Amendment 601
All U.S. Coast Guard pilot program will use already established public notification systems (AMBER Alerts, Silver Alerts, Weather Warnings). If you are in the search area your electronic devices will receive the alert.
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Article Archives
Okaloosa County Program Called Aqua Alerts:
Okaloosa County Pilot Program News Stories:
Aqua Alert Act Pilot Program News Stories:
August 11, 2023
The Report: Missing Jet Skier
The Result: Rescued
News Article 1 - CLICK HERE (weartv.com)
News Article 2 - CLICK HERE (weartv.com)
Aqua Alert in Action: Jet skier lost for hours in the Gulf, dehydrated and drifting. Spotted only because rescuers saw her waving arm. Now she’s alive, reunited with her FWC heroes, and joining Aqua Alert’s mission for brighter life vests and instant alerts that turn bystanders into lifesavers. Real rescue, real impact.
November 10, 2023
The Report: Missing Snorkeler
The Result: Recovered
News Article 1 - CLICK HERE (weartv.com)
Tragic Gulf loss: 34-year-old swimmer vanishes in Destin waves. Aqua Alert ignites urgent hunt, but body found mile offshore next morning, a stark call for faster boater eyes to turn the tide on heartbreak!
March 28, 2024
The Report: Missing Kayaker
The Result: Rescued
News Article 1 - CLICK HERE
(Tuscaloosanews.com)
News Article 2 - CLICK HERE (SI.com)
Gulf gridiron grit: Ex-Gamecocks QB Chris Smelley kayaks into 12-hour nightmare, drifting 2.5 miles off Destin, Fl. Coast Guard chopper spots him at sunset, friend's boat hauls him safe; now, a harrowing call for Aqua Alert's rapid boater SOS to rescue the next wave warrior!
September 23, 2024
The Report: Missing Diver
The Result: Recovered
News Article 1 - CLICK HERE (Fox10TV.com)
News Article 2 - CLICK HERE (instagram.com)
Heartbreaking Gulf depths: Scuba diver Jeremy Carmical vanishes 12 miles offshore in camo wetsuit—urgent Aqua Alert-style IG SOS shares neon tank coords, sparks United Cajun Navy hunt; tragic recovery 17 miles SW of Destin Pass underscores need for instant boater eyes to pierce the waves!
September 23, 2024
The Report: Missing Diver
The Result: Recovered
News Article 1 - CLICK HERE (Fox10TV.com)
News Article 2 - CLICK HERE (instagram.com)
Tragic Gulf loss: 34-year-old swimmer vanishes in Destin waves. Aqua Alert ignites urgent hunt, but body found mile offshore next morning, a stark call for faster boater eyes to turn the tide on heartbreak!
June 2, 2025
The Report:
Missing 7 Year Old Paddle Boarder
The Result:
Rescued
News Article 1 - CLICK HERE (Fox10TV.com)
News Article 2 - CLICK HERE (People.com)
Tiny hero's epic paddleboard odyssey: 7-year-old Greyson drifts 1.5 miles through Florida's gator-filled blackwater creek. Multi-agency heroes (FWC, drones & more) spot him paddling upstream; first words? "Got food?" Now safe, his grit spotlights Aqua Alert's power for turning everyday eyes into rapid rescuers on the water!
November 10, 2023
The Report: Missing Person On Water
The Result: Missing
News Article 1 - CLICK HERE (KATV.com)
News Article 2 - CLICK HERE (weartv.com)
Heart-wrenching Gulf tragedy: 10-year-old Arkansas girl Trinity Eslinger vanishes in Destin's East Pass waves. Six-day mega-search with Coast Guard, FWC & Cajun Navy covers 250 miles, ends in heartbreak without a trace. Community unites in emotional vigil to light her memory, amplifying Aqua Alert's urgent call for swift boater eyes to rewrite the next watery nightmare!
July 22, 2024
"After Devastating Loss, One Family’s
Resilience Leads to Lifesaving Rescue"
News Article 1 - CLICK HERE
(MensJournal.com)
Vanished into the fog: A 49-hour mega search spanning 12,000 square miles, uncovers empty kayak 20 miles out to sea, but no trace of Dave Schink. From that tragedy blooms Aqua Alert. The Schink family's idea of an Amber Alert-style SOS for missing boaters is born. Getting everyday civilians to join in the search for missing boaters helps to slash response times and rewrite watery fates!
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May 23, 2024
"Resilience Leads to a Lifesaving Rescue"
News Article 1 - CLICK HERE
(BoatingSafetyMag.com)
From grief to Gulf guardian: Kayaker's tragic vanishing spurs family to birth Aqua Alert, an AMBER Alert style SOS for boaters. A Grandma & grandkid is saved from riptide doom in the Aqua Alert debut rescue, turning fellow boaters into heroes & forging unbreakable bonds!
September 21, 2022
"Aqua Alert Launch"
News Article 1 - CLICK HERE
(Sheriff-Okaloosa.org)
From tragedy to tidal wave of hope: A Minnesota kayaker vanishing into the Gulf of Mexico sparks Aqua Alert, an AMBER Alert-style notification system for missing boaters used to get more people involved in rescues. Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office launches first pilot program of the system!
September 20, 2022
"Aqua Alert 'could mean the difference between
life and death,' Destin Mayor says"
News Article 1 - CLICK HERE
(WKRG.com)
The launch of a new notification system through the Okaloosa County Sheriff app is being about to be launched. In the wake of the tragic loss of kayaker David Schink his widow Judy Schink and her son Daniel pitched the idea of the need for the system. Destin Mayor Gary Jarvis believes the new system will help save more lives. Sheriff Eric Aden will be hosting a launch event on September 21.
May 7, 2024
"'Aqua Alert' survivors meet the Minnesota
family behind it"
News Article 1 - CLICK HERE
(KARE11.com)
Miraculous Aqua Alert embrace: Minnesota family behind life-saving idea gets to hug first people saved using the system. Grandmother DeNell Hendricks & her grandkids went out jet skiing in Destin, Florida when a wave knocks DeNell and a granddaughter off a jet ski ski. Read about their dramatic rescue that includes grandma being adrift for 3.5 hours in riptide terror. DeNell credits the Aqua Alert system for her dramatic rescue & forging an "instant family" bond with the creators. A happy ending for those who were in peril!
December 21, 2022
"'Okaloosa’s ‘Aqua Alert’ program very close
to being adopted nationwide"
News Article 1 - CLICK HERE
(GetTheCoast.com)
National breakthrough: Okaloosa's Aqua Alert, born from kayaker Dave Schink's heartbreaking Gulf vanishing is poised for U.S. adoption via granting the U.S. Coast Guard 3 pilot programs. The Aqua Alert Act is about to be signed into law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
Follow Up Note: On December 23, 2022 the NDAA bill is signed into law, making the Aqua Alert Act a law!
December 19, 2022
"Aqua Alert' stemming from missing Destin
kayaker included in national defense bill"
News Article 1 - CLICK HERE
(WEARtv.com)
Victory from the waves: The Aqua Alert Act, sparked by kayaker Dave Schink's 2021 Gulf vanishing, secures spot in the National Defense Bill, launching Coast Guard pilot program for an AMBER Alert-style alert systems to rally boaters involvement in rescue searches.
September 25, 2022
"'After tragedy, Minnesota family launches
Aqua Alert to help search for missing boaters"
News Article 1 - CLICK HERE
(KARE11.com)
From tragedy to tidal wave of hope: Minnesota kayaker vanishes into the Gulf. His family works to improve water safety by helping launch Aqua Alert, an AMBER Alert-style system designed to get more boaters involved in rescue efforts. Okaloosa County launches there program and the family hopes to surge the success into a nationwide Coast Guard pilot program!
September 21, 2022
"Okaloosa County launches 'Aqua Alert' to
help search for missing boaters"
News Article 1 - CLICK HERE
(WEARtv.com)
Victory from the waves: Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office announces launch of Aqua Alert. Sparked by kayaker Dave Schink's 2021 vanishing, a collaboration of teamwork helps launch the pilot program aimed at rescuing missing boaters in the waters of Okaloosa.
September 21, 2022
"Aqua Alert Launch"
News Article 1 - CLICK HERE
(sheriff-okaloosa.org)
From tragedy to tidal wave of hope: The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office announces the launch of the Aqua Alert pilot program. An idea from the family of a missing kayaker turned into reality to help others in distress be found.
February 15, 2021
"Coast Guard suspends search for missing
kayaker near Destin"
News Article 1 - CLICK HERE
(WJHG.com)
Gulf silence: 61-year-old kayaker David Schink vanishes off the coast of Destin. A mega search yields an empty kayak but no trace of David,. The search for David Schink comes to end. Recovery efforts begin.
February 8, 2022
"Widow proposes 'Aqua Alert' to Destin City
Council after losing husband in Gulf"
News Article 1 - CLICK HERE
(WEARtv.com)
A possible new life line: Widow Judy Schink pitches Aqua Alert to Destin City Council after her husband's kayak vanished a year ago. The AMBER Alert inspired system is designed to get more boaters involved in rescues. The system is backed by U.S. Coast Guard & Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission (FWC).
2021
"'Swept Away"
News Article 1 - CLICK HERE
(PaddlingMag.com)
Swept into oblivion: Kayaker David Schink solo trip turns disastrous when he does not return. A 49-hour mega-hunt yields an empty vessel 20 miles out. His family pitches the idea for an AMBER Alert-style system to aid in searches for missing people on the waterways.
June 8, 2021
"A Kayaker’s Disappearance Provides Hard
Lessons"
News Article 1 - CLICK HERE
(MensJournal.com)
A vanished kayaker: After a 49-hour mega-search uncovers an empty kayak 20 miles from where he left, the choices made by kayaker Dave Schink provides lessons to others. From his tragedy blooms Aqua Alert. His family is working for an Amber Alert-style notification system to aid in searches for missing boaters. Getting as many eyes as possible involved in the search.
May 12, 2021
"Widow of kayaker who disappeared near
Destin spreads water safety awareness"
News Article 1 - CLICK HERE
(WEARtv.com)
From heartbreak to Gulf guardian: Judy Schink, widow of kayaker David Schink. Dave was lost to Destin's savage waves. Judy donates his haunting blue kayak to the Emerald Coast Science Center in hopes of sparking others to be safer on the water. The family is raising funds to help create a system to help aid in the searches for others lost on the water.
February 23, 2021
"Family of Minnesotan Presumed Dead while
Kayaking in Florida Propose Aqua Alert System"
News Article 1 - CLICK HERE
(KARE11.com)
From heartbreak to heroism: Minnesota kayaker vanishes in Destin, Florida. The family's gut-wrenching 50-hour wait ends in tragedy, now focus on a push for 'Aqua Alert' to help missing boaters in the future.
February 22, 2021
"Family of missing kayaker creates memorial
fund to prevent future tragedies"
News Article 1 - CLICK HERE
(WEARtv.com)
From loss to legacy: David Schink's family proposes the idea of Aqua Alert, and other water safety measures to prevent future tragedies. Safety signs, beach cams & pamphlets to methods to get more people involved in searches are all proposed.
February 21, 2021
"'David Schink Memorial Fund"
News Article 1 - CLICK HERE
(GoFundMe.com)
Memorial fund launches: David Schink's family launches a memorial fund in hopes of improving water safety.
September 23, 2025
"'U.S. Coast Guard to implement emergency
alerts for Lake Erie, Lake Ontario"
News Article 1 - CLICK HERE
(SpectrumNews1.com)
Coast Guard launches second pilot: The Eastern Great Lakes launches their U.S. Coast Guard pilot program as the Aqua Alert Act continues to grow pilot program with a second program launched.
April 9, 2025
"Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound
launches Aqua Alert pilot program to improve
maritime emergency response"
News Article 1 - CLICK HERE
(USCG.mil)
Aqua Alert Act pilot program launched: Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound initiates their Aqua Alert pilot program. An AMBER Alert-style notification system designed to notify the public of urgent boater distress.
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