Talk to people on the beach to keep them safe, researcher advises lifeguards

As beach season approaches on P.E.I., a researcher from the University of Windsor is coming to P.E.I. to discuss a new approach to dangerous surf conditions.

Chris Houser said warning signs should be considered just a first step for letting people know about conditions that could lead to rip currents.

Rip currents rush away from the shore. They are too strong to swim against, and can quickly carry people out into deep water.

Houser said life guards on the beach should get down from their chair and talk to people about surf conditions.

"If you have a lifeguard, they're doing this intervention, they're telling people, 'No, this condition is dangerous today,' or, 'In this area don't swim but over here is a little bit safer to swim,' that active intervention by a trained professional, by that lifeguard, makes a world of difference," he said.

People will often not believe signs, he said, if conditions seem calm or they see others in the water.

If you are caught in a rip current, said Houser, the key is to remain calm and not to try to swim against it. Swim parallel to the beach until you are out of it.

Houser will be in Charlottetown next Saturday to talk about the science and safety of the potentially deadly currents.

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