I Did Not Know Waves Were That Strong. All I Could Do Was Yell For Someone to Come Save Him: Raising Everyone's Blue IQ - The Myth of Common Sense & Communicating About Coastal Safety

Coastal drowning deaths make the news but rescues and traumatic experiences in the ocean can have broad and generational impacts on individuals, families and witnesses. From years of experience working with diverse populations on coastlines around the world and over five years of researching geographically specific coastal hazards around the United States for NOAA’s Wave Safe series the most important fact for any weather communicator to recognize is that everyone arrives at the shore with diverse backgrounds, knowledge and understanding of the coastal environment. Whether we are sharing information about the risk of lighting at the beach, the impact of powerful winds or the danger of high surf from distant tropical storms the audience needs to understand how those forecasts can directly impact them in a context relatable to their experience. The concept of “Common Sense” is predicated on shared, common experiences. A seasoned ocean athlete’s favorite waves can be a first-time beach visitor’s deadly wave. Raising the population’s Blue IQ on coastal weather, water and waves before they put their feet in the sand creates community based protective factors that prevent weather and water related emergencies and trauma.

While the USLA reported 153 fatal drownings in 2020 there were also over 71,000 rescues by trained professionals on guarded beaches. The impact of a rescue by a professional ocean guard, friend, family member or bystander can create direct trauma for those involved and vicarious trauma for anyone touched by the events.

In the Ontario Non-Fatal Drowning Report, 2021 the number of non-fatal drownings requiring hospitalization was 3.6x the number of fatal drownings.