DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — If you’re thinking of hitting the beaches to beat the heat, you’ll be in good company, but lifeguard shortages and water conditions have officials reminding you staying safe should be the top priority.

“Me and my friends want to dig a hole in the beach essentially," said Brock Hilbun, a DeLand resident. "Just, you know, for fun.”

People come to the beach for a lot of different reasons. Whether you’re looking to cool off or break a sweat, the water is very inviting, but the red flags are up as rip currents pose a threat to beaches across Central Florida.

“We rescue about 3,000 people out of the ocean each year because of rip currents," said Tammy Malphurs, the deputy chief of Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue. "We will be flying the red flags throughout the weekend for hazardous recurrent conditions.”

For the group digging a hole, it’s something they’re keeping in mind.

“I think a good thing to stay safe is to not go too far into the water,” said Hilbun.

Officials recommend you swim in areas that have a lifeguard on duty.

“If you find yourself caught in a rip current, do not panic," said Malphurs. "A lot of times, those lifeguards can see you caught in a rip current before you even realize.”

It’s not something these guys are too worried about.

“If the lifeguard’s nearby, that’s nice," added Sammy Valchar, another DeLand resident. "But we're going to have enough people here that we're probably going to be in groups when we’re in the water.”

So, for the time being, they’re carrying on, keeping an eye out for each other and for the perfect spot for their hole.

You can check conditions, find spots where lifeguards are on duty, or even just check parking information ahead of your trip on the Volusia County beaches app.