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NOUS41 KCLE 031227
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OHZ003-006>014-017>023-027>033-036>038-047-089-PAZ001>003-040400-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CLEVELAND OH
830 AM EDT MON JUN 3 2013

...RIP CURRENTS BREAK THE GRIP AND SWIM AWAY...

THE FOLLOWING IS A BEACH HAZARDS SAFETY MESSAGE FROM THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE IN RECOGNITION OF BEACH HAZARDS AWARENESS
WEEK...JUNE 2ND THROUGH THE 8TH 2013.

RIP CURRENTS POSE A HAZARD TO SWIMMERS AND WADERS IN LARGE BODIES OF
WATER.  THE RIP CURRENT DEVELOPS AS WAVES PILE WATER BETWEEN SAND
BARS JUST OFF SHORE AND THE BEACH.  THE ACCUMULATED WATER RETURNS
BACK TO THE OPEN WATER THROUGH NARROW CHANNELS ERODED THROUGH THE
SAND BAR. THE CHANNELS OF WATER ARE LIKE A RIVER AND A SWIMMER
CAUGHT IN THIS CURRENT WILL BE FORCED OUT TO OPEN WATER.  THE
SWIMMER IS USUALLY OVERCOME BY FEAR AND PANIC AND BECOMES QUICKLY
EXHAUSTED.  THE RIP CURRENT CAN BE TOO STRONG FOR AN EXPERIENCED
SWIMMER. RIP CURRENTS CAN ALSO FORM WHEN WAVES FORCE WATER ALONG A
PIER OR OTHER STRUCTURE. NEVER JUMP INTO THE WATER ALONG A STRUCTURE
TO AVOID BEING SWEPT OUT TO OPEN WATER.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING A PERSON CAN DO TO PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM
THE RISKS OF RIP CURRENTS IS TO KNOW WHAT TO DO IN THE EVENT THEY GET
CAUGHT UP IN THE CURRENT.  IF CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT...TRY TO STAY
CALM.  DO NOT TRY TO FIGHT THE CURRENT BY SWIMMING DIRECTLY TO SHORE.
ESCAPE THE CURRENT BY SWIMMING IN A DIRECTION FOLLOWING THE SHORE
LINE. ONCE YOU ARE FREE OF THE CURRENT...SWIM AT AN ANGLE AWAY FROM
THE CURRENT TOWARD SHORE.  IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO ESCAPE THE
CURRENT...CONSERVE ENERGY BY FLOATING WITH THE CURRENT...WAVE AN ARM
FOR HELP...AND YELL FOR HELP TOWARD THE SHORE.  ONCE THE CURRENT
WEAKENS...SWIM AWAY FROM THE CURRENT TOWARD THE SHORE.

THE GREATEST SAFETY PRECAUTION YOU CAN TAKE IS TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGER OF RIP CURRENTS AND ALWAYS REMEMBER TO SWIM AT BEACHES WITH
LIFEGUARDS PRESENT.

LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS FOR THE LATEST NEARSHORE
MARINE FORECAST AND LISTEN FOR RIP CURRENT THREAT FORECASTS BEFORE
HEADING TO THE SHORES OF LAKE ERIE.

THIS MESSAGE WAS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. BE
SURE TO VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ON THE WEB AT
WWW.WEATHER.GOV FOR THE LATEST RIP CURRENT FORECASTS AT AREA BEACHES
AND THE RIP CURRENT SAFETY WEB PAGE AT WWW.RIPCURRENTS.NOAA.GOV.

$$

LOMBARDY