The Old Saybrook and Westbrook fire departments responded to the sighting of two red flares off the western shore of Old Saybrook a few minutes after midnight today.

They determined that the flares had been discharged from shore, and not a boat in distress.

Three fire boats and several land units searched for close to 90 minutes. Many witnesses along the shore saw the two flares and it was determined that they originated from the Old Kelsey Point Road area of Westbrook off Sagamore Terrace Drive, a fire department spokesman said.

A Westbrook firefighter searching along the beach found the remains of the flares on the shore off Old Kelsey Point Road. The state police at Troop F in Westbrook recovered the evidence.

"Dozens of firefighters, police officers, as well as members of the U.S. Coast Guard spent a great deal of time searching for someone in need of rescue only to find a hoax. People are reminded that marine flares should only be used when experiencing a true emergency," John Dunn of the Old Saybrook Fire Department said in a press release.