The story of how the documentary Rip Current Heroes connected with millions of people and has helped raise public understanding of rip current safety.

Several years in the making, Rip Current Heroes, a one-hour television program produced by Jason Markland in partnership with National Geographic premiered on the National Geographic Channel in Australia on December 20, 2017.

Recognised as the world’s first rip current safety television program, the documentary, which was filmed entirely in Australia, focused on providing audiences with fascinating rip current science along with compelling stories of rip current tragedy and survival.

Rip Current Heroes profiles the research of leading surf scientist Professor Rob Brander (aka Dr Rip). Dr Brander is a Coastal Geomorphologist at UNSW Sydney and has been studying rip currents for over two decades.

Rob’s research allows audiences to gain new insights into how rip currents form and function, along with vital lifesaving information around how to identify rip currents, and the best escape strategies for a beachgoer to get out of a rip safely.

Rip Current Heroes also tells the remarkable stories of heroic Australians who put their own lives at risk to rescue others caught in rips. It’s also the story of how the Fingal community – a small beachside town located in Northern New South Wales –  have taken an innovative grassroots approach to addressing a major rip current problem in their own backyard.

Fuelled by the goal of delivering this life saving information to the largest possible audience, the documentary is just part of an extensive and hugely successful rip current education outreach program that has now connected with millions of people.

National Geographic Australia supported the documentary with a dynamic online digital media campaign that quickly connected with over 645,000 Australians in its first 6 months of promotion.

Australian based airlines Qantas and Jetstar recognized the educational importance of the program and included the documentary in their inflight entertainment channels – allowing the program to be seen by both domestic and international travellers.

In 2018, Dr Brander and Jason Markland teamed up with the Australian Teachers of Media to develop the world’s first documentary based rip current safety school study guide. This study guide, which is available free of charge to all schools, is designed to give students and teachers a comprehensive understanding of rip current science and survival strategies. The study guide can be downloaded on school study guide.

Internationally, Rip Current Heroes has been embraced by leading water safety groups and health promotion agencies as a ‘must see beach safety program’ with both the United States Surf Lifesaving Association and the World Health Organization linking the program into their online educational resources.

In 2018 the United States drowning prevention and water safety group Make the Minute Matter co-ordinated the Rip Current Heroes awareness day. The campaign and the documentary connected with an audience of 1.8 million.