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Thesis
ASSESSMENT OF BEACHGOERS' PERCEPTION OF RIP CURRENTS AT PENSACOLA BEACH, FLORIDA
University of West Florida
Master of Science (MS), University of West Florida
2012
Abstract
In the United States alone, approximately 150 individuals drown as a result of being caught in a rip current each year. A particular hotspot is the Florida Panhandle, where the landward migration of the nearshore bars over the summer season leads to quasi-permanent rip channels (Barrett and Houser, 2012). Since 2004, the number of lifeguards has increased, and the number of drownings on Pensacola Beach has decreased. However, the number of contacts made by lifeguards with swimmers is still over 30,000 a year. To assess beachgoers' perceptions of rip currents, 97 surveys were conducted on Pensacola Beach from June through September of 2010. Participants were asked questions to test their knowledge of rip currents. While a majority of participants suggested they could identify a rip current if present, less than 20% of the rip currents within the survey were correctly identified. This suggests that most beachgoers are overconfident in their ability to identify and poorly educated in ways to avoid beach hazards. Although signs about the hazards of rip currents are posted at every public access point, more is needed to properly educate the public on how to correctly identify and avoid dangerous rip currents.
Details
- Title
- ASSESSMENT OF BEACHGOERS' PERCEPTION OF RIP CURRENTS AT PENSACOLA BEACH, FLORIDA
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Publisher
- University of West Florida
- Format
- text
- Copyright
- http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/
- Identifiers
- 99380090748006600
- Academic Unit
- Earth and Environmental Sciences
- Language
- English
- Awarding Institution
- University of West Florida; Master of Science (MS)
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), University of West Florida