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Perception of the rip current hazard on Galveston Island and North Padre Island, Texas, USA

Author

Listed:
  • Christian Brannstrom
  • Sarah Trimble
  • Anna Santos
  • Heather Brown
  • Chris Houser

Abstract

The hazard posed by a rip current depends in part on the ability of beach users to identify a rip current and to associate surf conditions with the potential for rip currents. Understanding which visual features beach users associated with rip currents is an important step in the development of appropriate programs and educational materials aimed at improving the ability of beach users to identify a rip current. A face-to-face survey (n = 392) was conducted to assess the ability of beach users to identify a rip current using five near eye-level photographs that simulate the view of the beach and surf zone as the respondent approached the beach. The survey was conducted on three heavily used public beaches in Texas (Galveston, Port Aransas, and Corpus Christi) at the height of the summer beach season in 2012. Only 13 % of respondents correctly selected the photograph showing the most hazardous conditions and correctly identified the precise location of the rip current on the photograph. The majority of beach users (87 %) incorrectly indicated that the photograph with the heaviest surf represented the most hazardous surf conditions and greatest potential for the development of rip currents, or failed to identify rip currents in photographs. Respondents who were able to correctly identify the rip current tended to recognize the breaking wave pattern, areas of darker water, or the proximity to structures as key visual characteristics of rip currents and also had higher self-reported abilities to swim in rough water and escape a rip current. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014

Suggested Citation

  • Christian Brannstrom & Sarah Trimble & Anna Santos & Heather Brown & Chris Houser, 2014. "Perception of the rip current hazard on Galveston Island and North Padre Island, Texas, USA," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 72(2), pages 1123-1138, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:spr:nathaz:v:72:y:2014:i:2:p:1123-1138
    DOI: 10.1007/s11069-014-1061-3
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Victor Gensini & Walker Ashley, 2010. "An examination of rip current fatalities in the United States," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 54(1), pages 159-175, July.
    2. Nicole Caldwell & Chris Houser & Klaus Meyer-Arendt, 2013. "Ability of beach users to identify rip currents at Pensacola Beach, Florida," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 68(2), pages 1041-1056, September.
    3. Chris Houser & Gemma Barrett & Daniel Labude, 2011. "Alongshore variation in the rip current hazard at Pensacola Beach, Florida," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 57(2), pages 501-523, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ben Van Leeuwen & R. McCarroll & Robert Brander & Ian Turner & Hannah Power & Anthony Bradstreet, 2016. "Examining rip current escape strategies in non-traditional beach morphologies," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 81(1), pages 145-165, March.
    2. Baris Barlas & Serdar Beji, 2016. "Rip current fatalities on the Black Sea beaches of Istanbul and effects of cultural aspects in shaping the incidents," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 80(2), pages 811-821, January.
    3. Ben R. Van Leeuwen & R. Jak McCarroll & Robert W. Brander & Ian L. Turner & Hannah E. Power & Anthony J. Bradstreet, 2016. "Examining rip current escape strategies in non-traditional beach morphologies," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 81(1), pages 145-165, March.
    4. L. E. Segura & I. Arozarena & W. Koon & A. Gutiérrez, 2022. "Coastal drowning in Costa Rica: incident analysis and comparisons between Costa Rican nationals and foreigners," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 110(2), pages 1083-1095, January.
    5. Isabel Arozarena & Chris Houser & Alejandro Echeverria & Christian Brannstrom, 2015. "The rip current hazard in Costa Rica," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 77(2), pages 753-768, June.
    6. A. Dana Ménard & Chris Houser & Robert W. Brander & Sarah Trimble & Alexandra Scaman, 2018. "The psychology of beach users: importance of confirmation bias, action, and intention to improving rip current safety," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 94(2), pages 953-973, November.
    7. Peter Kamstra & Brian Cook & David M. Kennedy & Barbara Brighton, 2018. "Treating risk as relational on shore platforms and implications for public safety on microtidal rocky coasts," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 91(3), pages 1299-1316, April.
    8. Kathleen M. Fallon & Qing Lai & Stephen P. Leatherman, 2018. "Rip current literacy of beachgoers at Miami Beach, Florida," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 90(2), pages 601-621, January.
    9. Bruno Castelle & Rob Brander & Eric Tellier & Bruno Simonnet & Tim Scott & Jak McCarroll & Jean-Michel Campagne & Thibault Cavailhes & Pierre Lechevrel, 2018. "Surf zone hazards and injuries on beaches in SW France," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 93(3), pages 1317-1335, September.
    10. Warton, Nicola M. & Brander, Robert W., 2017. "Improving tourist beach safety awareness: The benefits of watching Bondi Rescue," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 187-200.

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