BUILDING THE SHARC NETWORK

In 2019, NY Sea Grant surveyed stakeholders engaged in rip current science and safety and found that multiple Long-Island based organizations actively issue warnings, provide educational resources, and assist swimmers caught in rip currents. While data and resources were being shared informally, we identified the need for a more formalized network to facilitate communication of rip current and surf hazard data, outreach, and emergency management experience. In 2020, NY Sea Grant and MARACOOS held a virtual workshop, bringing local stakeholders together to assess data needs and identify existing resources. The success of this initial meeting led to the formation of the Surf Hazards Awareness & Resource Coordination (SHARC) Network.

EXPANDING THE SHARC NETWORK

SHARC’s membership includes rip current professionals from local universities, the National Weather Service, and lifesaving organizations working together to share data and resources to improve beach safety for Long Island beachgoers. While SHARC is currently focused on Atlantic Ocean beaches from New York City to Montauk, we hope this collaborative approach can serve as a model for other states and regions.

SHARC plans to host several networking events annually, bringing together professionals across Long Island to discuss their experiences with rip currents and surf hazards. By providing opportunities for emergency responders and safety practitioners to exchange ideas with weather forecasters and researchers, SHARC can help coordinate the collection of surf hazard data and the sharing of resources better to inform forecasting models and future rip current education programs.  

Future networking events are being developed. NYSG and MARACOOS believe that such events are essential to strengthening relationships between the diverse surf hazard professionals across Long Island. Together, we can work towards improving water safety and reducing the risk of fatalities due to rip currents and other surf hazards on Long Island’s beaches.

PAST EVENTS

The first workshop, which was held in November 2020, included networking opportunities, local expert presentations, and breakout sessions. Topics discussed included: the need for SHARC and its potential impact, resource and data gaps, additional stakeholder recommendations, and rip current education success stories.  The workshop was recorded and the recording along with the summary report are available below.