What to do if you're caught in a rip current
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Rip currents are the leading cause of lifeguard rescues, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Why it matters: These powerful, narrow channels of fast-moving water also known as "drowning machines" can pull you out to sea before you even realize what's happening.
Driving the news: Officials said Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Grammy-winning musician and actor who played Theo Huxtable on "The Cosby Show," drowned Sunday after getting caught by a rip current while on vacation in Costa Rica.
One way to avoid being caught in a rip current is to take preventative measures, Tom Gill, vice president of the U.S. Lifesaving Association, tells Axios.
What they're saying: Talk to lifeguards before swimming.
- "They have the ability to tell you about the current conditions and what restrictions or safety advice they can give before you put yourself in a fairly dangerous situation," Gill says.
If you find yourself in a rip current, the Los Angeles County Fire Department, who manages the coast's lifeguards, tells to Axios there are ways to get safely out:
1. Don't panic. A rip current won't pull you under — it pulls you away from shore. Panicking uses energy you need to stay afloat and think clearly.
2. Don't try to swim straight back to shore, you'll exhaust yourself fighting the current.
- Instead, float or tread water calmly to conserve energy.
3. Swim parallel to the shore to get out of the current. Once free, swim at an angle back to shore, away from the current's pull.
4. If you can't escape, wave your arms and call for help; float and keep calm until help arrives.
If someone else is in danger, call for a lifeguard or throw a flotation device and guide them from shore.
