If you’re out and about on the beach, you may run into someone who shares the rules of the beach. Don’t be alarmed. There’s a good chance you are meeting a member of the city’s beach patrol.

Lisa Graham of Orange Beach has been involved with the Leave Only Footprints beach patrol program since its inception in July 2015.

She had patrolled the beach for 15 years as a Share The Beach sea turtle volunteer, and in that capacity she witnessed local beaches at their worst.

“I was thrilled when this program was announced,” she said. “I wanted to be actively involved in cleaning our beaches for the turtles, me and our visitors.”

Beach patrol entails education and awareness of the Leave Only Footprints program. Beach patrol members interact with visitors, explaining the LOF rules of the beach, including NO glass, dogs, metal shovels or grills.

“We talk to visitors about the danger in digging holes and ask them to fill their holes at the end of the day,” Graham said.

Patrol members also enforce the tent ordinance, which states that all tents must be north of the mean high tide line.

Graham said a highlight of her work is that each day on the beach is a chance to see the LOF program working and see a clean beach. “To hear visitors consistently compliment our beautiful, clean beaches, especially those that saw it before our program started,” she said. “I am proud to be a part of LOF.”