Beach Risk Email Survey

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.

1. 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

2. 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.]

3. [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

___Lake Ontario

___I’m not sure.

4. 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]

5. 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)

6. When you visit a Great Lakes beach, how often do you go into the water?

___Never

___Rarely

___Sometimes

___Often

___Always

___I have not visited the Great Lakes yet

7. When you visit Great Lakes beaches, how often do you visit the beach with your children?

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.]

8. 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.]

9. 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

10. How often do you check these sources of weather information before going to the beach?

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.]

11. 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]

12. You indicated that you frequently use other weather information sources before going to the beach. Please describe what you use.

[Open response]

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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.

17. 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.]

18. 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

19. Are any of your children between 13 to 18 years old?

___Yes

___No [If no, Skip to Q21]

20. 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.

21. How comfortable are you entering the water at the beach for the following conditions?

	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]

22. 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

23. 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]

24. 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

25. 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]

26. 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

27. 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]

28. 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.]

29. How comfortable would you feel letting your children enter the water here?

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.

30. What is your gender:

___Male

___Female

___Prefer not to answer.

31. What is your zip code?

[Dropdown list of zip codes or Open]

32. What language do you prefer to read in?

___English

___Spanish

___Portuguese

___Mandarin

___Arabic

___Vietnamese

___Polish

___French

33. 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.

34. 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.

35. 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, [email protected].

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.