Hempstead warning summer swimmers to beware of rip currents

HEMPSTEAD (WABC) -- The ocean's most frequent killer is not the great white shark, and not the deadly jellyfish. Not even hurricane-force winds. It's a rip current.

The town of Hempstead offered a warning Wednesday for swimmers this season.

Even though it was just 60 degrees, beachgoers were already testing the waters.

"It was pretty rough, there was a lot of undertow, a lot of pull, a lot of current," said Tony Kelly of Bayside.

"Meteorologists have been predicting that our rip currents may be more intense this summer," said Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray.

Rip currents form because of low tide, sandbars, even changes to the beach shape since Hurricane Sandy.

"They're coming in like this, like the current in between right here, you should watch out for," said one swimmer as he demonstrated a current. ("And what happens to the swimmer?") "They get dragged out, they're done," he said.

"I was in the ocean and I got swept away in one and tumbled through and it was really scary," said Nicole Woska of Bellmore.

The town of Hempstead knows the risk and wants swimmers to be ready.

"In more than eight decades of life-guarding at Hempstead town, there has never been one drowning on a protected beachfront," said Murray.

Hempstead lifeguards demonstrated that you can float or tread waiting for rescue, and calmly swim parallel to the shore.

"My mom always told me to just don't fight it, and then the lifeguards will come and save you," said Jonny Keicher of Queens.

Always swim on a beach with a lifeguard, but some beaches don't have their lifeguards full-time yet for the season.

At Point Lookout Town Park in Hempstead, the guards will take the chairs starting Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

People seeking to help victims caught in a rip current are encouraged to take the following steps:

--Get help from a lifeguard.

--If a lifeguard is not available, have someone call 911.

--Throw the rip current victim something that floats - a life-jacket, a cooler or an inflatable ball.

--Yell instructions on how to escape.

In addition to the ocean safety brochure that is available to beachgoers at Town of Hempstead beaches, anyone can get a copy of the lifesaving guide by calling 516-812-3272.

Further, Hempstead town also has a pool safety guide that is available by calling the same telephone number.

Hempstead's beach safety tips:

http://toh.li/files/pdfs/rn_beach-safety.pdf