782 
NOUS42 KJAX 090934
PNSJAX
AMZ450-452-454-470-472-474-FLZ020>025-030>033-035>038-040-
GAZ132>136-149>154-162>166-092130-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
534 AM EDT TUE JUN 9 2015

...THIS IS RIP CURRENT AWARENESS WEEK...

RIP CURRENTS ARE CURRENTS OF WATER MOVING AWAY FROM SHORE. RIP
CURRENTS CAN BE FOUND ON MANY SURF BEACHES EVERY DAY. HOWEVER...
UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS...THE SPEEDS IN THESE CURRENTS CAN QUICKLY
INCREASE TO BECOME DANGEROUS FOR ANY SWIMMER...REGARDLESS OF THEIR
SWIMMING SKILLS.

TO IDENTIFY RIP CURRENTS LOOK FOR DIFFERENCES IN WATER COLOR OR
WATER MOTION...OR A CHANGE IN SHAPE OF THE INCOMING WAVES. LOOK FOR
CHANNELS OF CHURNING OR CHOPPY WATER. OFTEN YOU MAY SEE A LINE OF
FOAM...SEAWEED OR OTHER DEBRIS MOVING OUT TO SEA. THESE ARE ALL
INDICATORS OF RIP CURRENTS.

YOU SHOULD ALWAYS PROCEED WITH CAUTION IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON
GOING IN THE WATER. IF YOU ARE CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT...REMAIN
CALM TO CONSERVE ENERGY AND THINK CLEARLY. NEVER FIGHT AGAINST THE
CURRENT. SWIM OUT OF THE CURRENT IN A DIRECTION PARALLEL TO THE
SHORELINE. WHEN OUT OF THE CURRENT...SWIM AT AN ANGLE AWAY FROM THE
CURRENT AND TOWARD THE SHORE. IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO SWIM OUT OF THE
RIP CURRENT...FLOAT OR CALMLY TREAD WATER. WHEN OUT OF THE
CURRENT...SWIM TOWARD SHORE. IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO REACH SHORE...
DRAW ATTENTION TO YOURSELF BY WAVING YOUR ARMS AND YELLING FOR
HELP. THE BEST ADVICE IS TO SWIM WHERE LIFEGUARDS ARE PRESENT...IN
ORDER TO MAXIMIZE SAFETY. THE CHANCES OF DROWNING AT A BEACH
PROTECTED BY LIFEGUARDS IS 1 IN 18 MILLION.

ALWAYS PAY ATTENTION TO FLAGS AND POSTED SIGNS AND IF YOU SEE
SOMEONE IN TROUBLE...DON'T BECOME A VICTIM YOURSELF. MANY PEOPLE
DROWN WHILE TRYING TO SAVE SOMEONE ELSE FROM A RIP CURRENT. GET
HELP FROM A LIFEGUARD...OR IF ONE IS UNAVAILABLE...HAVE SOMEONE
CALL 9 1 1. THROW THE RIP CURRENT VICTIM SOMETHING THAT FLOATS SUCH
AS A LIFE JACKET...COOLER OR INFLATABLE BALL. YELL INSTRUCTIONS ON
HOW TO ESCAPE.

THE TIME YOU TAKE TO UNDERSTAND RIP CURRENTS CAN HELP YOU PROTECT
YOURSELF AND YOUR LOVED ONES WHEN VISITING THE BEACHES.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON RIP CURRENTS...YOU CAN VISIT US
AT WWW.RIPCURRENTS.NOAA.GOV

$$
