I was caught in a rip current recently and lived thanks to National Weather Service (NWS) materials.

We benefitted from the Break the Grip of the Rip campaign and the materials put out by the Eena Project in the Outer Banks in a couple of ways: From the materials left in our beach house packet and the magnet on the fridge, I did remember that we needed to swim parallel to the shore – we had been teaching my nephews that earlier in the trip, since they don’t swim in the ocean that much. What really saved us was remembering the instruction to wave your arm to get help. I did that in a big way and know that was what brought people to us.

I think the beaches where we were would have benefitted from more signs like I’ve seen on other beaches.

– Melissa, North Carolina

Originally posted on http://www.nws.noaa.gov/ripcurrents/real_life.shtml