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PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC
631 AM EDT WED JUN 5 2013

...NORTH CAROLINA RIP CURRENT AWARENESS WEEK FOR 2013...

THE WEEK OF JUNE 2ND THROUGH JUNE 8TH HAS BEEN DECLARED RIP
CURRENT AWARENESS WEEK. TODAY WE WILL BE DISCUSSING THE DANGERS OF
STRONG SHOREBREAK AND HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM GETTING INJURED
IN LARGE BREAKING WAVES.

SHOREBREAK IS DEFINED AS THE BREAKING OF WAVES ONTO THE SHORE OR
BEACH. THE POWER OF THE SURF CAN CAUSE INJURIES TO EXTREMITIES AND
THE CERVICAL SPINE. THESE INJURIES OFTEN REQUIRE EMERGENCY MEDICAL
CARE AND AFFECT EVEN THE MOST KNOWLEDGEABLE SWIMMERS.

SPINAL CORD INJURIES OCCUR AT OUR NATIONS BEACHES EVERY YEAR...
USUALLY AS A RESULT OF DIVING HEADFIRST INTO THE WATER OR BEING
TUMBLED IN THE SURF BY THE FORCE OF THE WAVE ACTION. THESE
INJURIES CAN RESULT IN COMPLETE PARALYSIS AND EVEN DEATH. SEVERAL
TYPES OF INJURIES CAN OCCUR DUE TO STRONG SHOREBREAK.
HYPEREXTENSION OCCURS WHEN THE HEAD BECOMES FORCED BACK FURTHER
THAN IT CAN EXTEND...FRACTURING THE BONES IN THE BACK OF THE NECK
AND TEARING THE SUPPORTING LIGAMENTS IN THE FRONT. HYPERFLEXION
OCCURS WHEN THE HEAD IS PUSHED FORWARD UNTIL THE CHIN IS FORCED
AGAINST THE CHEST...FRACTURING THE BONES AT THE FRONT OF THE NECK.
ROTATIONAL INJURY OCCURS WHEN THE HEAD AND BODY ROTATE IN OPPOSITE
DIRECTIONS SEVERELY TWISTING THE LIGAMENTS...BONES AND SPINAL CORD
TO THE POINT WHERE THEY MAY RUPTURE. VERTICAL COMPRESSION OCCURS
WHEN THE HEAD IS FORCED DOWN ONTO THE SHOULDERS WITH GREAT
PRESSURE...COMPRESSING THE SPINAL CORD AND POSSIBLY FRACTURING THE
BONES IN THE NECK.

THE FOLLOWING ARE SOME SAFETY TIPS TO AVOID GETTING INJURED WHEN
ENCOUNTERING THE SHOREBREAK. DO NOT RUN INTO THE OCEAN AND DIVE
HEAD FIRST INTO THE WAVES. SANDBARS THAT CANNOT BE SEEN FROM THE
SURFACE MAY BE PRESENT AND OR THE WATER MAY BE TOO SHALLOW. IF YOU
ARE BODY SURFING OR BOOGIE BOARDING...OR YOU GET TUMBLED DUE TO A
WAVE BREAKING OVER YOU...KEEP YOUR ARMS OUT IN FRONT OF YOU TO
PROTECT YOUR HEAD AND NECK.

TOMORROW WE WILL DISCUSS THE DANGERS OF LONGSHORE CURRENTS AND
STRONG OFFSHORE WINDS. YOU CAN VISIT WEATHER.GOV/NEWPORT FOR
ALL THE LOCAL FORECAST PRODUCTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE...INCLUDING THE SURF ZONE FORECAST.

$$