Man hospitalized after Hollywood Beach shark attack, fire rescue officials say
A man was hospitalized Tuesday after he was bitten by a shark on Hollywood Beach, according to authorities.
Hollywood Fire Rescue officials said they, along with Hallandale Beach Ocean Rescue, responded to the 4100 block of S. Ocean Drive shortly before 3 p.m. after reports of an individual suffering a serious injury.
The man, in his 40s, received medical attention on scene and was taken to Memorial Regional Hospital for further treatment.
Rescue officials later confirmed the injury to one of his arms resulted from a shark attack.
No additional details were released.
Separate shark bite reported in Volusia County
The Hollywood incident follows another reported shark bite last week in Volusia County.
According to county officials, 18-year-old surf instructor Sam Hollis was bitten on the foot while surfing off New Smyrna Beach, about 60 miles northeast of Orlando.
"It just grabbed me by my foot and just yanked me off my board and was like, yeah, 'I'm having you for a little snack man.' And then I was like having none of that so I kicked it," Hollis said.
How to survive a shark attack
Paul de Gelder, who stars in the Discovery Channel special "How to Survive a Shark Attack," shared some tips for surviving an attack:
- Stay calm and don't splash: "I know it goes against all natural instincts of preservation, not to panic, but that's the most important thing you can do," he said. "You have to understand these sharks don't really know what you are, you're almost the same size as them, and they don't want to fight."
- Keep watch: Standing your ground and staring the shark down can also help you survive. "They know when you're watching, they don't want to attack you when you're watching — they want an easy target," he said. "That's why the tiger sharks always sneak up on us from behind."
- Push away: As a last resort, de Gelder says to push — not punch — the shark in the nose to drive it away.
