What can people do if caught in a rip current?

If caught in a rip current:

• Try to remain calm to conserve energy

• Don’t fight the current

• Think of it like a treadmill you can’t turn off. You want to step to the side of it

• Swim across the current in a direction following the shoreline

• When out of the current, swim and angle away from the current and towards shore

• If you can’t escape this, try to fl oat, or calmly tread water. Rip current strength eventually subsides offshore. When it does, swim toward shore

• If at any time you feel you will be unable to reach shore, draw attention to yourself: face the shore, wave your arms, and yell for help