Eastern Research Group, Inc. (ERG), under contract to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) Coastal Storms Program (CSP), has developed a risk communication strategy to address the problem of dangerous waves and currents on the Great Lakes, and the loss of life these hazards can cause. The project was designed to:

• Identify how beachgoers perceive the risk of dangerous currents and waves in the Great Lakes.
• Evaluate existing messages and delivery mechanisms (such as National Weather Service [NWS] Surf Zone Forecasts).
• Translate complex beach conditions into understandable, actionable messages for specific beachgoer audiences.
• Identify effective delivery mechanisms for specific audiences.

This report presents the findings of ERG’s research, including:

• Summaries of interviews conducted in July-October 2013 with experts and practitioners with knowledge about various aspects of the problem and potential solutions. These interviews included a focus group with surfers active in education and rescue activities (Appendix A).
• Results of two surveys conducted in summer 2013: a web-based survey and beach intercept survey (Appendices B and C).
• A summary of a literature search conducted at the beginning of the project (Appendix D).

The report then lays out recommendations for the risk communication strategy, including overall goals, audiences, dissemination mechanisms, and potential objectives to be tracked over time.