Staying Safe at the Beach
This survey is voluntary. We will ask you a few questions about some dangers you might face when swimming at the beach, and how you stay safe. It focuses on some of the swimming-related hazards in the Great Lakes. The results of the survey will help federal and state officials provide information that will help keep everyone safe at the beach. The survey will take about 20 minutes to complete.
What is your age?
___Under 18 Thank you for your participation, but we can only collect answers from people who are at least 18. [End Survey.]
___18 – 24
___25 – 34
___35 – 44
___45 – 55
___Over 55
Have you visited any of the Great Lakes in the past 2 years, or do you intend to visit one of the lakes this summer?
___Yes.
___No. Thank you for your participation, but this survey focuses on beach safety at the Great Lakes. [End Survey.]
[If yes to Q2] Which of the Great Lakes did you visit or do you plan to visit? (Check all that apply)
___Lake Superior
___Lake Michigan
___Lake Erie
___Lake Huron
___I’m not sure.
On a scale from 0 – 5, where 5 is “very strong” and “0” means you don’t swim at all, how strong a swimmer are you?
I don’t swim |
Not very strong swimmer |
|
Somewhat strong swimmer |
|
Very Strong swimmer |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
[If respondent chooses “0 – I don’t swim” in Q3, then skip to Q6]
When you go swimming, where do you usually swim? (Please check all that apply)
___Private pool
___Gym pool
___Public pool
___Stream or river
___Beach (pond or lake)
___Beach (Great Lake)
___Beach (ocean)
___Never
___Rarely
___Sometimes
___Often
___Always
___I have not visited the Great Lakes yet
I don’t have children |
Not sure |
Never |
Rarely |
Sometimes |
Often |
Always |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
[If “Sometimes,” “Often,” or “Always” for children in Q7, then ask Q8.]
Under which of the following conditions do you allow your children to go into the water at the beach (choose all that apply):
__A lifeguard is present.
__The waves appear small.
__Flags on the beach indicate conditions are safe.
__An adult accompanies them into the water.
__They wear a life jacket or other type of personal flotation device (PFD)
__A beach safety station with life ring or flotation device is nearby
__Other (please describe):
__I do not allow my children in the water under any circumstances.
[If “Sometimes,” “Often,” or “Always” in Q6, then ask Q9.]
Which of the following things do you do to be sure you are safe in the water? (Please check all that apply)
__Only swim when lifeguards are present
__Always swim with another person
__Seek out and pay attention to beach condition warnings
__Wear a life jacket or other personal flotation device
__Only swim when conditions appear safe and/or calm
__Other (please describe):
__I do not swim at all or I swim very rarely
Risk Perception & Information Sources
Types of weather information sources |
Not sure/not applicable |
Never |
Rarely |
Sometimes |
Often |
Always |
Newspaper weather forecast |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
TV weather forecast |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Radio weather forecasts |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Surf Zone Forecast from the National Weather Service |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Other weather forecast website |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Beach website |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Mobile weather app |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Facebook, Twitter, or other social media |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Hotel desks or tourism agencies |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Other resource? |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
[If respondent indicates “Often” or “Always” for at least one source in Q10, then ask Q11.]
[If respondent indicates “Often” or “Always” for “Other resource” in Q10, then ask Q12.]
[If neither condition above is met from Q10, then go to Q13.]
Please give specific examples of weather information sources you indicated that you use either “Often” or “Always” (e.g. a specific newspaper, website, or radio station, etc.).
[Open response]
You indicated that you frequently use other weather information sources before going to the beach. Please describe what you use.
[Open response]
In your opinion, how reliable are the following sources of weather information in correctly predicting beach conditions?
Types of weather information sources |
Not sure |
I don’t use this |
Unreliable |
Somewhat reliable |
Very reliable |
Newspaper weather forecast |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
TV weather forecast |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Radio weather forecasts |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Surf Zone Forecast from the National Weather Service |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Other weather forecast website |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Beach website |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Mobile weather app |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Facebook, Twitter, or other social media |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Hotel desks or tourism agencies |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Other resource? |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Have you ever seen or used any of the following?
|
Yes |
No |
The NOAA Break the Grip of the Rip website |
o |
o |
Beach flags that indicate wave or current conditions |
o |
o |
Surf Zone Forecast from the National Weather Service |
o |
o |
The MyBeachCast mobile app |
o |
o |
“Break the Grip of the Rip” beach signs |
o |
o |
“Break the Grip of the Rip” brochures |
o |
o |
Information advising you to swim parallel to the shoreline. |
o |
o |
Information advising you to swim out of the current |
o |
o |
Information advising you to not fight the current |
o |
o |
If you arrived at the beach and saw a yellow flag, that would mean:
__Water closed to public
__High hazard: high waves and/or strong currents
__Medium hazard: moderate waves and/or currents
__Low hazard: Calm conditions, exercise caution
__Dangerous marine life
If you arrived at the beach and you saw a yellow flag, which of the following actions would you take?
__Make no change in my plans to swim that day.
__Seek out areas of slightly lower waves
__Seek out areas of slightly higher waves
__Only swim where lifeguards are present
__Swim with another person
__Wear a life jacket or other personal flotation device
__Choose not to go into the water
__Other (please describe):
__I do not swim at all or I swim very rarely, regardless of posted warnings.
How dangerous are the following swimming-related activities or hazards to you:
|
Not at all dangerous |
Slightly Dangerous |
Moderately Dangerous |
Very Dangerous |
Extremely Dangerous |
Not sure |
High waves |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
A current that pulls you quickly away from shore |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
A current that pulls you quickly toward rocks/structures |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Lightning/thunderstorms |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Bacterial contamination |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Swimming alone |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Sunburns |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Jumping off a pier |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Motorized water vehicles (jet skis, powerboats, etc.) |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Lake bed hazards (sharp rocks, fishing hooks, broken glass, etc.) |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
[If “Sometimes,” “Often,” or “Always” for children in Q7, then ask Q18.]
How dangerous would you say are the following swimming-related activities or hazards to your children:
|
Not at all dangerous |
Slightly Dangerous |
Moderately Dangerous |
Very Dangerous |
Extremely Dangerous |
Not sure |
High waves |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
A current that pulls you quickly away from shore |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
A current that pulls you quickly toward rocks/structures |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Lightning/thunderstorms |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Bacterial contamination |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Swimming alone |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Sunburns |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Jumping off a pier |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Motorized water vehicles (jet skis, powerboats, etc.) |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Lake bed hazards (e.g., sharp rocks, fishing hooks, broken glass, etc.) |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Are any of your children between 13 to 18 years old?
___Yes
___No [If no, Skip to Q21]
How dangerous would you say are the following activities or hazards for a young person aged 13 to 18 when they go to the beach by themselves or with friends (without you or another adult)?
|
Not at all dangerous |
Slightly Dangerous |
Moderately Dangerous |
Very Dangerous |
Extremely Dangerous |
Not sure |
High waves |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
A current that pulls you quickly away from shore |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
A current that pulls you quickly toward rocks/structures |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Lightning/thunderstorms |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Bacterial contamination |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Swimming alone |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Sunburns |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Jumping off a pier |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Motorized water vehicles (jet skis, powerboats, etc.) |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Lake bed hazards (e.g., sharp rocks, fishing hooks, broken glass, etc.) |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Risk Awareness
Next, we would like to ask you a few questions about how beach conditions and other factors influence your decision to swim at the beach.
|
Not sure/not applicable |
Very uncomfortable |
Uncomfortable |
Comfortable |
Very Comfortable |
High waves with dangerous currents |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Low waves with weak currents |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Frequent high waves |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Lifeguards on duty |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Safety equipment available and nearby |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
No lifeguards or park personnel on duty |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Flags indicating safe beach conditions |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Posted warnings about unsafe beach conditions |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Consuming small amounts of alcohol |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Consuming large amounts of alcohol |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
News reports about recent drownings in the Great Lakes region |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
Next, we’d like to ask a few questions about how to escape from dangerous currents that may occur at beaches on the Great Lakes that you did not anticipate or want to be in.
[If the respondent selected “I don’t swim” for Q3, skip to Q28.]
[Photo with line showing current direction]
You are swimming near a pier and experience a current that pulls you swiftly away from shore (parallel to the pier), towards open water. Which of the following describes the best way to escape this current?
___Swim toward shore
___Swim away from shore
___Swim parallel to shore
___Get the attention of a lifeguard or someone on the pier or shore
___Ask someone on the pier or shore to throw a life-ring
___Float on my back until the current weakens, then swim to shore
___I don’t know
Which of the following best describes this type of wave or current?
___Rip current
___Channel current
___High wave conditions
___Structural current
___Seiche
___Longshore current
___Normal wave action
___I don’t know
[Photo with line showing current direction]
You are swimming and experience a current that pulls you swiftly between the shore and a sand bar, parallel to shore. Which of the following describes the best way to escape this current?
___Swim toward shore
___Swim away from shore
___Swim parallel to shore
___Get the attention of a lifeguard or someone on the pier or shore
___Ask someone on the pier or shore to throw a life-ring
___Float on your back until the current weakens, then swim to shore
___I don’t know
Which of the following best describes this type of wave or current?
___Rip current
___Channel current
___High wave conditions
___Structural current
___Seiche
___Longshore current
___Normal wave action
___I don’t know
[Photo with line showing current direction]
You are swimming and experience a current that pulls you swiftly away from shore, towards open water. Which of the following describes the best way to escape this current?
___Swim toward shore
___Swim away from shore
___Swim parallel to shore
___Get the attention of a lifeguard or someone on the pier or shore
___Ask someone on the pier or shore to throw a life-ring
___Float on my back until the current weakens, then swim to shore
___I don’t know
Which of the following best describes this type of wave or current?
___Rip current
___Channel current
___High wave conditions
___Structural current
___Seiche
___Longshore current
___Normal wave action
___I don’t know
[Embedded video of current or wave condition]
Looking at the video of water conditions, how comfortable would you feel entering the water at this point on the beach?
Not sure |
Very uncomfortable |
Uncomfortable |
Comfortable |
Very Comfortable |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
[If “Sometimes,” “Often,” or “Always” for children in Q7, then ask Q29.]
Not sure |
Very uncomfortable |
Uncomfortable |
Comfortable |
Very Comfortable |
o |
o |
o |
o |
o |
[Repeat Q28 – Q29 for additional videos or animated images of beach conditions]
Finally, we would like to ask you a few questions about yourself.
What is your gender:
___Male
___Female
___Prefer not to answer.
What is your zip code?
[Dropdown list of zip codes or Open]
What language do you prefer to read in?
___English
___Spanish
___Portuguese
___Mandarin
___Arabic
___Vietnamese
___Polish
___French
What is the highest level of education that you have completed?
___High School or GED
___Associates degree
___Trade, technical, or vocational education
___Bachelor’s degree
___Master’s degree
___Ph.D.
___Prefer not to answer.
Are you, yourself, of Hispanic or Latino origin or descent, such as Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, or other Spanish background?
___Yes, I am of Hispanic or Latino origin or descent.
___No, I am not of Hispanic or Latino origin or descent.
What is your race? (Please select one or more.)
__ American Indian or Alaska Native
__ Asian
__ Black or African American
__ Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
__ White
You have completed the survey! Thank you for your participation!
OMB Control Number: 0648-0342
Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 20 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other suggestions for reducing this burden to Brent Schleck, Brent.Schleck@noaa.gov.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of the law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall any person be subjected to a penalty for failure to comply with, a collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act, unless that collection of information displays a currently valid OMB Control Number.
File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
Author | BMiller |
File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
File Created | 2021-01-31 |