Protect yourself from deadly currents on the beach
Watch this NOAA video to learn more about identifying rip currents and staying safe on the beach.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
As early as the beginning of the summer, reports of deaths and incidents related to rip currents dominated newsstands across the country.
If you or someone in your family is planning a vacation to the New Jersey shore this summer, remember how to recognize, avoid, and escape a rip current.
What is a backwash?
According to the National Weather Service, a rip current is a fast-flowing channel of water that moves from the shoreline past breaking waves and out to sea.
Currents typically move at about 12 to 24 inches per second, but speeds of up to 8 feet per second have been recorded, which the NWS says is faster than an Olympic swimmer. The danger of rip currents is not that they pull people underwater, but that they pull them away from shore.
Some can drift hundreds of meters offshore.
How to recognize a surf backflow
Backwashes are easiest to spot from an elevated position. They are easily identified by the often muddy, darker strip of water in the middle.
In addition, backwash currents can be more turbulent than the surrounding water and carry seaweed or other debris into the sea.
They can be found by looking for areas where the waves are not breaking, and they often appear near structures such as sandbars and piers.
More: Beach flags can save your life: What you should know about the colors
What to do if you get stuck in a rip current?
The most important thing you can do if you get caught in a rip current is not to panic and not to try to swim against the current.
Instead, you may be able to get out of the current by swimming parallel to the shoreline toward the breaking waves and then at an angle back toward shore. If the current is flowing back toward shore, you may also be able to swim out of the current or tread water.
If you cannot escape the rip current, call and wave for help.
More: This keeps swimming in the pool safe and fun for everyone
How to save someone from a rip current
The NWS warns against entering the water without a flotation device when attempting to rescue someone from a rip current.
Instead, get help from a lifeguard immediately. If no lifeguard is present, call 911 and try to direct the person in the current to swim parallel to shore to escape. If possible, throw them a flotation device.
How to stay safe on the beach
Before entering the water, always check with lifeguards for information on currents and sea conditions. Make sure to always swim where lifeguards can see you.
According to the United States Lifesaving Association, the odds of fatal drowning while on a USLA-patrolled beach are 1 in 18 million.
Also pay attention to the flags and signs on the beach that indicate safe swimming areas.
Kaitlyn McCormick writes for the Courier-Post, The Daily Journal and Burlington County Times, covering current affairs and local news from across South Jersey. If you have a story you want her to cover, email her at [email protected]. And subscribe to stay on top of the news you need.
