Thousands of college students and partygoers have arrived in Florida this week to celebrate what is expected to be the biggest spring break ever, now free from COVID-19 restrictions.
While a dismal 1,500 people a day flew to Florida in 2020 and about 65,000 spring break attendees in 2021, the Tampa Bay Times estimates that 570,000 students will be vacationing in the Sunshine State to have fun on the beaches this year. .
Most spring break is estimated to be out this weekend, with sunny weather and temperatures below the 80s on Friday. Showers are expected on Saturday afternoon before clear skies return on Sunday and Monday.
The most hectic period of spring break, expected to last until March 20, comes on Thursday when six college students, five of whom are at West Point, overdose on fentanyl-laced cocaine.
On Friday, Miami’s beaches were packed as crowds of students soaked up the sun and kicked off the weekend.
Most spring break is estimated to be out this weekend, with sunny weather and temperatures below 80 on Friday as party goers kick off what is expected to be Miami’s biggest spring break weekend.
Some 570,000 students will be vacationing in the Sunshine State to have some fun on the beaches as they enjoy their first spring break free of any COVID-19 restrictions after poor results in 2020 and 2021.
Florida authorities are on high alert to ensure party safety as thousands descend on Miami’s beaches on Friday.
Friday and Saturday kick off the busiest period of spring break, which is expected to last until March 20th.
Partygoers enjoyed the sun on Friday as light rain is expected on Saturday before clearing up on Sunday.
The celebration began on a painful note after six students, five of whom were West Point cadets, overdosed on fentanyl-laced cocaine in Wilton Manors, Florida on Thursday.
This year, Fort Lauderdale officials are gearing up by putting in place security measures ahead of the expected arrival of spring break from around the country starting this weekend.
Police and fire officials in Fort Lauderdale, often referred to as the “spring break hub,” told reporters at a press conference on Friday that they expect to reach unprecedented levels in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
“We absolutely expect to be at least double, if not triple, what we saw last year in terms of attendance,” Fort Lauderdale Police Major Bill Schultz told NBC Miami.
Schultz added that the city is already hosting a large number of early risers and that he is ready to expect even more partygoers to arrive over the next few weeks, starting with the surge of the coming weekend.
AAA Tampa spokesman Mark Jenkins said that while AAA does not track spring break travel, the organization is seeing a surge in travel to the event.
“People feel more confident when they travel, and that’s really what we see when we book,” Jenkins told ABC Tampa.
“Right now, bookings for AAA trips are much higher than at the same time last year, so we are expecting a very strong spring break season,” Jenkins explained.
Florida police expect spring break to double and even triple over the weekend.
AAA said travel bookings to spring break destinations are much stronger as people enjoy the event for the first time since the party scene was devastated by the coronavirus pandemic.
A group of vacationers on the beach in Fort Lauderdale, considered the “spring break hub”, is pictured with a cooler at a party.
The streets in Miami are filled with visitors heading to the beaches to enjoy spring break Friday.
The early birds enjoyed their time at the beach on Friday as more party people are expected on Saturday.
Many were already at the beach earlier this week, but this weekend marks the biggest expected outcome of spring break.
Increased security around tourist areas played a key role in the quick response after six students overdosed on fentanyl-laced cocaine Thursday night, including five West Point cadets.
The two cadets were drug-free but were overcome by the effects of fentanyl when they attempted mouth-to-mouth resuscitation of their sick friends, the Orlando Sun-Sentinel first reported Friday.
contacted the US Army Academy at West Point and a spokesman said the college was “aware” of the incident in Florida involving its students.
“The US Military Academy is aware of the West Point cadet situation that occurred Thursday night in Wilton Manors, Florida,” a West Point spokesman said in an email. “The incident is currently under investigation and no other details are available at this time.”
News footage from a helicopter shows paramedics gathering in the front yard of a short-term vacation rental, northwest of Yard 29 in Wilton Manors, where several people were found to be in cardiac arrest at 5:00 pm Thursday.
Footage from the scene shows rescuers providing first aid and placing several people on stretchers.
Fort Lauderdale fire battalion chief Steve Gollan told Local10 that two of the overdose victims became ill because they were trying to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the first four overdose victims. He said the victims were given an opioid overdose drug, naloxone, sold under the brand name Narcan, to revive the victims.
Four patients were taken to Broward Health Medical Center and the remaining two were taken to Holy Cross Hospital.
By Friday, one of the patients had been discharged from the hospital, two remained in critical condition after intubation, and three were in stable condition.
A suspect believed to be involved in the incident was arrested in Florida, police confirmed to WSVN on Friday evening. It’s also unclear if the suspect was staying at the rental property with the Spring Breakers.
Officials say four college students staying at a rented house in Wilton Manors ingested the drug and went into cardiac arrest, and two of their friends fell ill after exposure to fentanyl while performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation on patients.
A rescue worker in a HAZMAT suit works at a mass overdose site at Wilton Manors on Thursday evening.
Six of the patients are college students visiting Fort Lauderdale for spring break. Five West Point cadets.
Vacationers with an overdose were treated with nalaxone on the spot and then taken to the hospital, where one of them was listed in critical condition.
On Thursday, paramedics carry one of the college kids out of the house with an overdose.
Officials in Gulf Shore, Florida said the Miami incident was not an isolated incident and warned that more overdoses could occur during the spring break season.
Gulf Shore Fire Battalion Chief Melvin Shepard said first responders in Florida are well equipped and able to administer nasal sprays or Narcan injections to save those suffering from overdose.
“This is the reality of our culture,” Shepard told NBC 15. “You can’t just lock it down to Miami, it could very well happen here or in a nearby city, so we have to do our best to be prepared for it.” whatever happens on our way.