Before racing into the ocean it pays to stop, look, and plan no matter what your age or ability in the water. This is the key message a new Surf Life Saving safety campaign is taking to Australians everywhere this summer.
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Rip currents are an ever present danger on NSW beaches responsible for a significant number of rescues performed by surf lifesavers, while alarmingly, research shows that while beachgoers express confidence in their ability to recognise a rip, in reality less than half actually can.
It is believed that nearly 4 million Australians have experienced the terror of being caught in a rip current with the majority of those involved in a fatal incident are males aged 25-39.
This new awareness campaign calls on Australians to draw a line on the sand and to pause, look for hazards, and assess the dangers before entering the ocean. Stop. Think. Plan, is the message.
It is a continuation of a multi-year approach by Surf Life Saving to encourage Australians to be beach-aware and to help lower the national drowning death toll.
Surf lifesavers are trained to both watch and respect the ocean but they too have tales to tell of rushing to the aid of swimmers caught in rips.
Surf Life Saving NSW CEO Steven Pearce said the safety campaign was a timely reminder for people to be conscious of the dangers of the ocean during at a time of the year when people are looking forward to relaxing at the beach.
“I might be biased but NSW has some of the best beaches and stretches of coastline in the country, however rips can happen anywhere anytime and this is why we strongly encourage people to swim at a patrolled location and between those red and yellow flags.
“Sadly we have already had 11 coastal drownings this year and we don’t want to add to that number by people getting caught in a rip and tragically drowning.
“If you do happen to find yourself caught in a rip it’s crucial not to panic. Conserve energy and wait for assistance from surf lifesavers. We urge everyone to stop, look, and plan before entering the water.”