Rip current rescues on unguarded beaches

Shore & Beach ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 41-45
Author(s):  
Aubrey Litzinger ◽  
Stephen Leatherman
Keyword(s):  
Young Person ◽  
Red Cross ◽  
Rip Current ◽  
Rip Currents ◽  
Water Ring ◽  
The U.S

Rip currents are the greatest danger at surf beaches. Professional lifeguards rescue tens of thousands of people every year at U.S. beaches, but only a small percentage of the nation’s beaches are guarded. Oftentimes it is a young person who is caught in a rip current, and a bystander will attempt a rescue without a flotation device. The U.S. Lifesaving Association strongly suggests that this kind of rescue should not be undertaken because too often the rescuer will drown. Some coastal towns such as Cocoa Beach in Florida are now posting ring buoys on their unguarded beaches with the warning to throw, but not to go into the water. Ring buoys of two different weights were tested for efficiency when thrown in terms of distance and accuracy. The participants threw the ring buoys two different ways: one way of their choosing (un-instructed) and second by Red Cross recommendation (instructed). The buoyancy was also tested for each buoy. While these flotation devices have some merit, they clearly have limitations.

Pathways to Religious Life

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Catholic Church ◽  
Religious Life ◽  
Young Person ◽  
New Members ◽  
Vatican Council ◽  
Religious Institutes ◽  
Volunteer Programs ◽  
Lay Associates ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The U.S

The history of religious life in the Catholic Church of the U.S. is filled with change: periods of growth and decline, changes of ministries, and differences in the ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds of those who joined them. Yet as the numbers of new members diminish, some say that the future of religious life is in jeopardy. What is the state of religious life in the U.S. today? Which institutes are increasing in number and which are decreasing or ceasing to exist? From what ethnic and socioeconomic populations are they drawing their members? What new religious institutes are being founded and how successful are they? What influences a young person to consider religious life today? How are religious from other countries shaping religious life as they come to the U.S. to minister? Many of these questions are addressed by data from CARA studies of religious life conducted over the last ten years. The impact of an individual’s family dynamics and educational experience before entering religious life is examined, as well as the influence of an increasing number of Catholic volunteer programs. The emergence of lay associates and the birth of new religious institutes since Vatican Council II is investigated as new ways of living religious life. The increase in the number of sisters and priests studying and ministering in the U.S. from other countries is examined for its impact on religious life. In conclusion, recommendations are made for religious institutes and vocation directors who wish to attract new members.

scholarly journals Rip current evidence by hydrodynamic simulations, bathymetric surveys and UAV observation

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guido Benassai ◽  
Pietro Aucelli ◽  
Giorgio Budillon ◽  
Massimo De Stefano ◽  
Diana Di Luccio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Numerical Simulations ◽  
Current System ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Rip Current ◽  
Rip Currents ◽  
Transport Pathways ◽  
Fine Sediments ◽  
Scientific Challenge

Abstract. The prediction of the formation, spacing and location of rip currents is a scientific challenge that can be achieved by means of different complementary methods. In this paper the analysis of numerical and experimental data, including UAV observation, allowed to detect the presence of rip currents and rip channels at the mouth of Sele river, in the Gulf of Salerno, southern Italy. The dataset used to analyze these phenomena consisted of two different bathymetric surveys, a detailed sediment 5 analysis and a set of high-resolution wave numerical simulations, completed with satellite and UAV observation. The grain size trend analysis and the numerical simulations allowed to identify the rip current system, forced by topographically constrained channels incised on the seabed, which were detected by high resolution bathymetric surveys. The study evidenced that on the coastal area of the Sele mouth grain-size trends are controlled by the contribution of fine sediments, which exhibit suspended transport pathways due to rip currents and longshore currents. The results obtained were confirmed by satellite and UAV 10 observations in different years.

scholarly journals A Bayesian network approach to modelling rip-current drownings and shore-break wave injuries

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (7) ◽  
pp. 2075-2091
Author(s):  
Elias de Korte ◽  
Bruno Castelle ◽  
Eric Tellier
Keyword(s):  
Bayesian Network ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Surf Zone ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Environmental Data ◽  
Tidal Range ◽  
Boreal Summer ◽  
Rip Current ◽  
Rip Currents ◽  
Awareness Campaigns

Abstract. A Bayesian network (BN) approach is used to model and predict shore-break-related injuries and rip-current drowning incidents based on detailed environmental conditions (wave, tide, weather, beach morphology) on the high-energy Gironde coast, southwest France. Six years (2011–2017) of boreal summer (15 June–15 September) surf zone injuries (SZIs) were analysed, comprising 442 (fatal and non-fatal) drownings caused by rip currents and 715 injuries caused by shore-break waves. Environmental conditions at the time of the SZIs were used to train two separate Bayesian networks (BNs), one for rip-current drownings and the other one for shore-break wave injuries. Each BN included two so-called “hidden” exposure and hazard variables, which are not observed yet interact with several of the observed (environmental) variables, which in turn limit the number of BN edges. Both BNs were tested for varying complexity using K-fold cross-validation based on multiple performance metrics. Results show a poor to fair predictive ability of the models according to the different metrics. Shore-break-related injuries appear more predictable than rip-current drowning incidents using the selected predictors within a BN, as the shore-break BN systematically performed better than the rip-current BN. Sensitivity and scenario analyses were performed to address the influence of environmental data variables and their interactions on exposure, hazard and resulting life risk. Most of our findings are in line with earlier SZI and physical hazard-based work; that is, more SZIs are observed for warm sunny days with light winds; long-period waves, with specifically more shore-break-related injuries at high tide and for steep beach profiles; and more rip-current drownings near low tide with near-shore-normal wave incidence and strongly alongshore non-uniform surf zone morphology. The BNs also provided fresh insight, showing that rip-current drowning risk is approximately equally distributed between exposure (variance reduction Vr=14.4 %) and hazard (Vr=17.4 %), while exposure of water user to shore-break waves is much more important (Vr=23.5 %) than the hazard (Vr=10.9 %). Large surf is found to decrease beachgoer exposure to shore-break hazard, while this is not observed for rip currents. Rapid change in tide elevation during days with large tidal range was also found to result in more drowning incidents. We advocate that such BNs, providing a better understanding of hazard, exposure and life risk, can be developed to improve public safety awareness campaigns, in parallel with the development of more skilful risk predictors to anticipate high-life-risk days.

Epilogue

2019 ◽  
pp. 201-214
Author(s):  
Cynthia A. Kierner
Keyword(s):  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Disaster Relief ◽  
First Century ◽  
Red Cross ◽  
American Red Cross ◽  
Disaster Reporting ◽  
Civil War Era ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Relief Efforts ◽  
The U.S

The epilogue skips ahead to the Johnstown flood of 1889, the deadliest disaster to date in U.S. history, and argues that the response to this debacle—due to because of advancements in communication and photography, and the advent of the American Red Cross—was in most respects comparable to that in twenty-first-century America. The main difference was the absence of federal involvement in disaster relief at Johnstown, though the U.S. government began providing disaster relief on an ad hoc basis in the post-Civil War era. The epilogue then examines the normalization of federal involvement in disaster relief and prevention in the twentieth century and the impact of social media on contemporary disaster reporting and relief efforts.

scholarly journals Public perceptions of a rip current hazard education program: “Break the Grip of the Rip!”

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (7) ◽  
pp. 1003-1024 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Houser ◽  
Sarah Trimble ◽  
Robert Brander ◽  
B. Chris Brewster ◽  
Greg Dusek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Social Research ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
The United States ◽  
Rip Current ◽  
Rip Currents ◽  
Safety Education ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Education Material

Abstract. Rip currents pose a major global beach hazard; estimates of annual rip-current-related deaths in the United States alone range from 35 to 100 per year. Despite increased social research into beach-goer experience, little is known about levels of rip current knowledge within the general population. This study describes the results of an online survey to determine the extent of rip current knowledge across the United States, with the aim of improving and enhancing existing beach safety education material. Results suggest that the US-based Break the Grip of the Rip!® campaign has been successful in educating the public about rip current safety directly or indirectly, with the majority of respondents able to provide an accurate description of how to escape a rip current. However, the success of the campaign is limited by discrepancies between personal observations at the beach and rip forecasts that are broadcasted for a large area and time. It was the infrequent beach user that identified the largest discrepancies between the forecast and their observations. Since infrequent beach users also do not seek out lifeguards or take the same precautions as frequent beach users, it is argued that they are also at greatest risk of being caught in a dangerous situation. Results of this study suggest a need for the national campaign to provide greater focus on locally specific and verified rip forecasts and signage in coordination with lifeguards, but not at the expense of the successful national awareness program.

scholarly journals Rip current related drowning deaths and rescues in Australia 2004–2011

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1069-1075 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Brighton ◽  
S. Sherker ◽  
R. Brander ◽  
M. Thompson ◽  
A. Bradstreet
Keyword(s):  
Incident Report ◽  
Anecdotal Evidence ◽  
Rip Current ◽  
Rip Currents ◽  
Actual Number ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Life Saving ◽  
The Us ◽  
The World ◽  
The Uk

Abstract. Rip currents are a common hazard to beachgoers found on many beaches around the world, but it has proven difficult to accurately quantify the actual number of rip current related drowning deaths in many regions and countries. Consequently, reported estimates of rip current drowning can fluctuate considerably and are often based on anecdotal evidence. This study aims to quantify the incidence of rip current related drowning deaths and rescues in Australia from 2004 to 2011. A retrospective search was undertaken for fatal and non-fatal rip-related drowning incidents from Australia's National Coronial Information System (NCIS), Surf Life Saving Australia's (SLSA, 2005–2011) SurfGuard Incident Report Database (IRD), and Media Monitors for the period 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2011. In this time, rip currents were recorded as a factor in 142 fatalities of a total of 613 coastal drowning deaths (23.2%), an average of 21 per year. Rip currents were related to 44% of all beach-related drowning deaths and were involved in 57.4% of reported major rescues in Australian locations where rips occur. A comparison with international operational statistics over the same time period describes rip-related rescues as 53.7% of the total rescues in the US, 57.9% in the UK and 49.4% in New Zealand. The range 49–58% is much lower than 80–89% traditionally cited. The results reported are likely to underestimate the size of the rip current hazard, because we are limited by the completeness of data on rip-related events; however this is the most comprehensive estimate to date. Beach safety practitioners need improved data collection and standardized definitions across organisations. The collection of drowning data using consistent categories and the routine collection of rip current information will allow for more accurate global comparisons.

Rip current instabilities

2001 ◽  
Vol 433 ◽  
pp. 161-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
MERRICK C. HALLER ◽  
R. A. DALRYMPLE
Keyword(s):  
Linear Stability ◽  
Turbulent Mixing ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Variable Cross ◽  
Rip Current ◽  
Rip Currents ◽  
Jet Instability ◽  
Wave Forcing ◽  
Low Frequency Oscillations ◽  
Stability Model

A laboratory experiment involving rip currents generated on a barred beach with periodic rip channels indicates that rip currents contain energetic low-frequency oscillations in the presence of steady wave forcing. An analytic model for the time-averaged flow in a rip current is presented and its linear stability characteristics are investigated to evaluate whether the rip current oscillations can be explained by a jet instability mechanism. The instability model considers spatially growing disturbances in an offshore directed, shallow water jet. The effects of variable cross-shore bathymetry, non-parallel flow, turbulent mixing, and bottom friction are included in the model. Model results show that rip currents are highly unstable and the linear stability model can predict the scales of the observed unsteady motions.

scholarly journals Beachgoers' ability to identify rip currents at a beach in situ

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-128
Author(s):  
Sebastian J. Pitman ◽  
Katie Thompson ◽  
Deirdre E. Hart ◽  
Kevin Moran ◽  
Shari L. Gallop ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Rip Current ◽  
Rip Currents

Abstract. Rip currents (“rips”) are the leading cause of drowning on surf beaches worldwide. A major contributing factor is that many beachgoers are unable to identify rip currents. Previous research has attempted to quantify beachgoers' rip identification ability using photographs of rip currents without identifying whether this usefully translates into an ability to identify a rip current in situ at the beach. This study is the first to compare beachgoers ability to identify rip currents in photographs and in situ at a beach in New Zealand (Muriwai Beach) where a channel rip current was present. Only 22 % of respondents were able to identify the in situ rip current. The highest rates of success were for males (33 %), New Zealand residents (25 %), and local beach users (29 %). Of all respondents who were successful at identifying the rip current in situ, 62 % were active surfers/bodyboarders, and 28 % were active beach swimmers. Of the respondents who were able to identify a rip current in two photographs, only 34 % were able to translate this into a successful in situ rip identification, which suggests that the ability to identify rip currents by beachgoers is worse than reported by previous studies involving photographs. This study highlights the difficulty of successfully identifying a rip current in reality and that photographs are not necessarily a useful means of teaching individuals to identify rip currents. It advocates for the use of more immersive and realistic education strategies, such as the use of virtual reality headsets showing moving imagery (videos) of rip currents in order to improve rip identification ability.

scholarly journals Occurrence features of Rip current at Ha My (Dien Ban district) and Tam Thanh (Tam Ky city) beaches, Quang Nam province

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (4A) ◽  
pp. 43-53
Author(s):  
Le Dinh Mau ◽  
Nguyen Van Tuan ◽  
Nguyen Chi Cong ◽  
Tran Van Binh ◽  
Pham Ba Trung ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wave Energy ◽  
Surf Zone ◽  
Transition Period ◽  
Current System ◽  
Southwest Monsoon ◽  
Northeast Monsoon ◽  
Rip Current ◽  
Rip Currents ◽  
Open Sea ◽  
Study Results

Rip current is a relatively strong, narrow current flowing outward from the beach through the surf zone and presenting a hazard to swimmers. This paper presents some occurrence features of Rip current at main swimming beaches in Quang Nam province, Central Vietnam. Study results show that most of swimming beaches along Quang Nam province coast are directly opposed to open sea and strongly affected by swell. Therefore, Rip current system can occur at any time in the year with large dimension and intensity. During Northeast monsoon (November to March) beach morphology is considerably changed by strong wave action, thus the strongest rip current is formed. However, in this period careful swimmers can easily identify where that rip current occurs along the beach. During the transition period from Northeast monsoon to Southwest monsoon (April to May) wave energy is reduced, thus Rip current intensity is also decreased. During Southwest monsoon (June to August) wave energy is not strong and beach is accreted, therefore some Rip currents remain at reasonable morphology places along the beach. During the transition period from Southwest monsoon to Northeast monsoon (September to October) Rip current can occur at deep places along the beach with characteristics of narrow dimension, thus causing more danger to swimmer. Especially, dangerous rip current is caused by swell which comes from active region of tropical cyclone in open sea. In this period wave field in the nearshore region is not rough, thus most of swimmers are not cautious when swimming at dangerous rip current places.

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