Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences
Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences
NHESS
Articles | Volume 19, issue 2
Articles | Volume 19, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-19-389-2019
© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-19-389-2019
© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Articles | Volume 19, issue 2
Research article
 | 
22 Feb 2019
Research article |  | 22 Feb 2019

Estimations of rip current rescues and drowning in the United States

B. Chris Brewster, Richard E. Gould, and Robert W. Brander

Viewed

Total article views: 11,109 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
HTML PDF XML Total Supplement BibTeX EndNote
4,265 6,668 176 11,109 580 193 245
  • HTML: 4,265
  • PDF: 6,668
  • XML: 176
  • Total: 11,109
  • Supplement: 580
  • BibTeX: 193
  • EndNote: 245
Views and downloads (calculated since 25 Jun 2018)
Cumulative views and downloads (calculated since 25 Jun 2018)

Viewed (geographical distribution)

Total article views: 11,109 (including HTML, PDF, and XML) Thereof 10,214 with geography defined and 895 with unknown origin.
Country # Views %
  • 1
1
 
 
 
 
Latest update: 20 Mar 2026
Download
Short summary
Rip currents are the greatest hazard to swimmers at surf beaches, but studies of the percentage of rescues and number of drownings attributable to rip currents have reached varying conclusions. This study uses rescue data reported to the United States Lifesaving Association by surf beach rescuers to show that rip currents are the primary cause of an average of more than 80 % of surf rescues, and to estimate that, they are the primary contributor to over 100 drowning deaths annually in the US.
Read more
Share
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint