The waves were 2 to 3 feet, he said, the current running north extremely hard.. For the first time in five years, lifeguards are not on duty at Atwater Park beach due to a shortage of lifeguard applications received by the Milwaukee County Parks Department. US records rising number of drownings in lakes, rivers and backyard 10/10/2022 MONROE COUNTY, MI 7:18 p.m. SWIMMING Corey Michael Carrabino, M-49, of Monroe He was swimming in the swim area at Sterling State Park in Frenchtown Township. But Pratt says its possible the number is higher. Last year was the first season the park had lifeguards on both sides of the creek for the entire week. Without lifeguards on duty to watch over those who choose to swim in Lake Michigan, experts are worried it could be a recipe for disaster. Were not often playing with fire, but we are often playing in water, Benjamin said. But we got no replies.. The training focused on the dangerous currents in the Great Lakes, rescue techniques, and CPR. 2020 has broken the record for the most drownings in Lake Michigan, according to data During the first 200 days of the Covid-19 pandemic in Poland, lower morbidity and mortality due to SARS-COV-2 infection were recorded in three regions covered by many small and large lakes (West Pomerania 5.8 deaths/100 000 population, Warmian and Masurian 7.6 deaths/100 000 population, Lubusz 7.3 deaths /100 000 population, compared . Stay with any boat that overturned; its buoyant. Besides the usual cold waters this time of year (though Lake Superior can be warmer than the air temps in winter), the Corps pointed to three areas of concern: Submerged Structures. The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project began keeping a record of the deaths in Lake Michigan ever since 2010 and by 2020 more deaths occurred than any other year. Benjamin calls drownings a public health crisis. If the waves and winds will be high, then stay away from these types of areas. The beach had a red flag Sunday morning because 3-4 feet waves were expected, and swimming was not advised. People think drowning happens to other people, until they become the other people. 08/19/2018 ABC 7 3 boys, ages 10 to 14, die after being pulled from Lake Michigan at Indiana, Waukegan beaches Friday evening a 14-year-old boy recovered from the water near Waukegan died Sunday. CHICAGO unreported SCUBA death off the shipwreck of the Wells Burt, part of a charter diver operation. 07/30/2018 Kenosha News Water safety initiative calls on greater action to prevent drowning deaths The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project gave a presentation Monday on water safety education to a group that included YMCA Executive Director Cindy Altergott, Somers Fire Chief Carson Wilkinson, John Raquet, and Peggy Burke, a Kenosha resident whose husband drowned in Lake Erie while on a fishing trip, among others. Deaths that occurred before 1999 were coded according to the ICD, Ninth Edition. So having the equipment there is great. More signs and the addition of life rings and ropes may not prevent another drowning, but if just one person is saved, isnt it worth it? If we can just control that panic and get people to calm down, theyre half way to being saved., 05/22/2020 News Dispatch Water safety activist says not having lifeguards will cost lives MICHIGAN CITY A decision to terminate the lifeguard program at Washington Park beach will cost lives, according to a man who tracks drownings on the Great Lakes. When you add flotation devices to that equation, he says, that combination can be surprisingly dangerous. It wasnt clear if the kids were swimming or had fallen in. 06/18/2018 WNDU Lifeguards get summer training for beach season, 06/17/2018 WSBT 22 Lake Michigan beaches work to reduce drownings, 06/15/2018 WNDU Officials prepare for busy Fathers Day weekend at Lake Michigan beaches, 06/09/2018 Video GLSRP Open Water Surf Lifeguarding In-service, 06/08/2018 NBC 5 Authorities Warn of Dangers to Lake Michigan Swimmers. Those numbers are being updated almost daily. 11/02/2018 Bridge Michigan Great Lakes drownings peaked in 2018. NBC 5s Christian Farr reports. And, according to The Process of Drowning Timeline, lifeguards are a drowning persons only hope.. 04/29/2018 WSBT Conference discusses ways to prevent drowning. 07/12/2018 Holland Sentinel Quick Hits: Four thoughts on this weeks news 2. Dan Prozanski Jr., stepping up water safety education annually in middle and high schools, guided by the U.S. Coast Guard in cooperation with the Kenosha police and fire departments, the Kenosha YMCA and the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. Let that sink in and now truly understand that water safety is not common sense. 3. For more information on water and pier safety, the Great Lakes Beach & Pier Safety Task Forces video, Respect the Power, is a great resource. The key is not panicking. Rescuers pulled Jarail C. Lee Jr., from the water at about 6:24 p.m., a little more than an hour after the boy disappeared under the water and did not resurface. 07/06/2020 The Weather Network How COVID-19 fatigue can lead to an increase in summer drownings, 07/04/2020 The Detroit News The nonprofit Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project reports there have been 20 Great Lakes drownings so far in 2020, and the numbers could climb in the summers warmest months as people fail to prepare for hazards such as rip currents, said executive director Dave Benjamin. The tremendous force and energy thats created reverberate some length down the beach and there are going to be conditions where I dont think its going to be safe even with those safety features in place.. The greatest increase in drownings were in Lake Michigan with 37 deaths, an increase of 14 deaths over the historical average of 23. Wasserman said there have not been lifeguards at McKinley Beach for more than a decade. Looking forward to the end of the year, our cash position to me is still concerning, Hoffmaster said. Nearly all of the 30,000 people the organization surveyed knew the answers to those simple questions, and 90 percent of them knew how to swim. There are also another 5 outcomes who are unknown on the other lakes. Its just bullet-pointed information that is not being delivered, he said. He says New Buffalo beach is unique because of the jetties and the boat channel. The number nearly doubled the previous year, and was the worst for drownings since 2012.08/05/2017 Northwest Indiana Times 7 ways to avoid drowning in Northwest Indiana, 08/05/2017 CBS 2 Chicago Hammond Woman, Kaitlynn Boswinkle, 24, Found Dead in Garys Marquette Beach. Leaders are trying to teach people water safety. In August, a general management plan for the future of Holland State Park was released to the public. He said if the current forecast for Friday night to Sunday holds true, Lake Michigan will have high and turbulent surf, especially at the south end of the lake. But doing that gives people a false sense of security that it wouldnt happen to them or their loved ones, said Benjamin. It was a simple solution that became very complex. (Link in article.). Great Lakes drownings in WNY The seven drownings on Lake Erie and Lake Ontario combined is more than double the number of fatalities this decade. 07/17/2019 WWMT PETITION: BRING BACK LIFEGUARDS SOUTH HAVEN, MI The drowning of a 13-year-old in South Haven sparks public cry for the return of lifeguards on South Haven beaches. Its not rocket science. Cold water shock can cause an involuntary hyperventilation gasp reflex, so know the rules of hypothermia. In 2015, Dave Benjamin, a spokesman for the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, an organization that seeks to prevent drownings in the Great Lakes, said Michigan enacted legislation that shields municipalities from lawsuits related to safety equipment near the water. We train harder than professional athletes in many cases. 03/28/2017 WSBT Lake Michigan drownings up 84% in 2016; 19 Great Lakes Water Safety presentations in 9 Michigan City schools this week, 03/27/2017 Northwest Indiana Times Lake Michigan was deadliest Great Lake last year Water Safety School Presentations this week in Michigan City, 03/26/2017 PR Great Lakes Drownings up 78% Last Year over 2015; Water safety presentations this week for Michigan City, 03/20/2017 UpNorthLive Increase in drownings brings high need for water safety education, 03/19/2017 PR 2016 Great Lakes Drownings increased 78% over 2015; Water Safety School Presentations this week in Benzie County, MI. 08/11/2020 Chicago Sun-Times Body pulled from Belmont Harbor identified as teen who went missing in Lake Michigan. Finally, they jumped off to try to swim back, the winds were strong and the water was cold. Schools with pools teach children water safety, but that should happen at all schools, Benjamin said. in Sheboygan, WI. Swimming parallel to shore typically is the most effective way of getting out of a current. We need a water safety school curriculum to save future generations from drowning. It becomes a frantic search.. 08/20/2018 WWMT Officials warn public of dangerous water, swimming conditions, 08/20/2018 Chicago Tribune Number of kids drowning in Lake Michigan increases; dangerous conditions continue Tuesday, 08/20/2018 NWI Times Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project: 22 people have drowned in Lake Michigan this year as NWS forecasts life-threatening swim conditions. According to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, at least 99 people drowned in the Great Lakes in 2016; 622 since 2010. 09/18/2020 NWI Times Beach hazards, frost predicted across Region, 09/18/2020 KPC News Beach hazards, frost predicted across Region. 04/12/2018 Peter Carey Speaks outat New Buffalo at City Council Meeting to oppose the termination of the beach lifeguards. When youre panicking, its an emotional and an irrational response to the situation. 2022 Crime Stats. The group worked with volunteer Deegan Boyles, who build the loaner station as his eagle scout project in memory of his grandfather. 08/26/2019 NBC 5 Chicago Lake Michigan Safety Warning Strong winds and dangerous waves continued to kick up on Chicagos lakefront Monday after a weekend in which two people died in drownings. As part of National Water Safety Month in May, the City of Michigan City and Michigan City Area Schools have collated together in an effort to prevent water emergencies. Beginning May 15, 2017, Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project (GLSRP) will be educating our youth on the necessity of Lakefront Safety. Patrick Tedeski was recovered Aug. 7 from Belmont Harbor. Mayor: Life rings along pier proving to be great investment. Life rings were installed in Michigan Citys Washington Park in late 2016, and for at least the second time in July they were instrumental in saving a life. It took him another 38 minutes to float and backstroke back to the shore. At Michigan Citys Washington Park, which doesnt have lifeguards this year, there are life preserver rings along the pier, but theyre on the opposite side of the beach. Removing lifeguards will cost lives and the cost to recover a body is much greater than the lifeguards salaries.. When a swimmer gets in trouble, theres typically less than one minute until final submersion, he said. Officials identified the man pulled from Montrose Harbor as Francisco Gonzalez, and said he is not the same person who went missing in the Playpen Wednesday night. In addition, the CDC states, for every child who dies from drowning, another five receive emergency department care for nonfatal submersion injuries. . Its called a life jacket, for a reason. So, in case something does happen, and they get caught up in a current, thats just extra protection for them just in case, said Petty Officer Dennis Whartnaby with the Sturgeon Bay Coast Guard. In addition to the confirmed drownings, there are an additional 5 drowning incidents where the victims were last listed as Critical Condition, Unknown Condition, or Missing. And that comes from a place of misunderstanding. Many of those victims simply go under and dont come up. The problem was the way the weight was distributed. Witnesses to the incident attempted to revive the child by performing CPR, but the child did not respond. Pratt and Dave Benjamin, GLSRP executive director, were tasked with leading over a dozen lifeguards, mostly teenagers, in an open water surf lifeguard training session Tuesday afternoon. On Saturday, the coalition held a water safety event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Kenosha Harbor, including safety demonstrations, a presentation by the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project and life jacket giveaways. What were not happy to share is the danger that comes with swimming in the Great Lakes. Bubba was 17 years old and passed away due to liver disease on August . The average depth of Lake Superior is 483 feet (147 metres) with its deepest point reaching 1,332 feet (406 metres). 47.478089N 90.999858W. The comparison showed 16% of fatal current incidents and 12% of reported rescues occurred on the same day that meteotsunamis were observed in the lake, according to the paper the team published. 04/23/2018 ABC 57 New Buffalo votes to keep lifeguards this summer The New Buffalo city council voted Monday to keep lifeguards on duty at least for one more summer. Eric Przykuta, a 43-year-old seventh-grade science teacher at Lancaster Middle School, died in an evening accident when the fishing boat he was riding in with two other men struck the breakwall near the Small Boat Harbor. 04/12/2018 ABC 57 Open forum to discuss future of New Buffalo lifeguards to be held Thursday. 10/08/2022 TOWN OF EVANS, N.Y. Lake Erie Beach Park Point Breeze area John Doe, M-48 According to police, a man was pulled from the water and citizens at the scene initiated resuscitation efforts. Benjamin said a Red Cross report showed 54 percent of Americans who say they can swim dont have basic swimming ability to survive a water emergency. He said it was a question for the City Council. I didnt know, yet there I was I was male. OPP taking OverDose Deaths Seriously - Lake Superior News - James Brown [*Unfortunately there were some misquoted or misunderstood information during the interview. The CPD Marine Unit is still searching for that person. 10/27/2017 Petoskey News Officials: Pier-jumping illegal, dangerous activity About 1/3 of drownings are current-related People should be aware of the dangers in the Great Lakes, Benjamin said. Lake Superior and Lake Michigan-Huron above the seasonal long-term average Thursday, January 5, 2023 . It calls for presentations led by the U.S. Coast Guard in partnership with Kenosha police and fire departments, the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project and the Kenosha Unified School District. 07/07/2019 ABC 7 Newsviews: Water Safety The weather has finally warmed up and maybe youve spent time at the beach this weekend. What we hope is that, perhaps through our tragedy, more harms can be prevented, and lives can be saved, James Schmidt said. But, he added, less than 5% know a drowning survival strategy such as Flip, Float and Follow when caught in a current or floating on your back and breathing deeply for added buoyancy. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Additionally, one person pulled from Lake Michigan was last listed in critical condition, and two scuba divers from Illinois who died in the big lake. And when we listened to these I didnt know factors from these families and friends of drowning victims, we realized that these factors were not complex ideas. A search is underway for Jacob Sandy, 23, last seen heading onto Lake Michigan to kayak. He talks about a recent rescue effort that he personally joined in, at Washington Park beach in Michigan City, and offers tips to swimmers when they step into Lake Michigan. GREAT LAKES, USA In 2019 the GLSRP tracked 97 Great Lakes drownings. There may be a lot of first-time boat buyers on the Great Lakes and they need to understand the basics of water safety like filing float plans, understanding changing marine forecasts, avoiding extra debris in the water, wearing lifejackets, and surviving cold water immersion, Benjamin said. The weather can change at the flick of a switch with the wind and the waves. 10/11/2020 Northwest Indiana Times With Lake Michigans record-high deaths, activists call for more safety measures, 10/09/2020 Petoskey News-Review Local Lowdown: Swim at your own risk Lake Michigan drownings at a 10 year high, 10/09/2020 The Sault News Swim at your own risk: Lake Michigan drownings at a 10 year high. The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project says that many of the 53 deaths in Lake Michigan in 2020 were preventable. LAKE SUPERIOR = 2 06/03/2020 - John Doe, M-6, A juvenile male has drowned in Lake Superior near the mouth of the Middle River in the Town of Lakeside. Every year in the United States there are over 4,000* fatal unintentional drownings, including boating-related drowning. Other beaches dont have that, she said, adding when unsafe conditions shut down swimming, swimmers sometimes go to an unguarded beach. To date in 2017, there have been 9 drowning in Lake Michigan.05/15/2017 WSBT 22 Students learn beach safety in Michigan City. 08/03/2019 Chicago Press Group: Lake Michigan Drownings up 87% Over Last Year. 08/13/2017 WBBMs At Issue: Drowning & Water Safety Every year dozens of people will drown while swimming in Lake Michigan and the other Great Lakes preventable deaths in most cases. Its being presented by the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project in partnership with the National Drowning Prevention Alliance, the Great Lakes Water Safety Consortium and the Matthew Kocher Foundation. His first novel, The Treasure of Namakagon (2012), features a boy in an 1883 northern . In 2019, Grand Haven State Park and City Beach posted numbered area signs to help get first responders where they are needed more quickly. Even the gold letters of the ship's nameplate are still . If youre stuck in a rip current, first flip on your back. Click on the location of a drowning for additional information. 08/21/2018 ABC 7 Beach Hazard in effect for Lake Michigan Tuesday after 3 boys drown over weekend As if on cue, surfers like Jim Hoop began showing up at Indianas Whiting Beach. After alarming rise in Utah jail deaths, lawmakers turn to suicide barriers In 2019, there were 97 drownings in the Great Lakes, 48 in Lake Michigan, according to the GLSRP. Our beaches get structural currents around jetties and piers, and when youre close to those structures you can get caught in a current, which can carry you out to deeper water, Bueling said. Shortly after 6:45 p.m., emergency crews found the body of the missing person in the water close to the marina. This is why lifeguards are so important. 1868. 07/07/2020 Cleveland U.S. Coast Guard saved 45 lives in Great Lakes over July 4 weekend busiest Independence Day weekend in at least five years, conducting more than 100 search-and-rescue cases and saving or assisting more than 300 people throughout the region. It was the scariest thing, but Bokun told me after his family returned from Tennessee. Its unknown if a lifeguard was present at the time. More articles followed in Sports Afield, Out-door Life, Field & Stream, School Arts, and other publications. 05/29/2017 Chicago Tribune Lake Michigan brings both beauty and danger to summer season Benjamin and Pratt partnered with city officials, lifeguards and sponsor ArcelorMittal to host the event, which offered lessons similar to those the pair present to audiences all around the Great Lakes region. He said not only do Lifeguards save lives, but they educate the public about their specific beach hazards when patrons come to the beach. We bring back our summer 2017 conversation about Lake Michigan drownings with Dave Benjamin with the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. (The Interview begins at 27:38), 06/05/2019 Southbend Tribune After loss of Lake Michigan kayaker: Look out for our brothers and sisters. 05/25/2020 Herald-Argus Water safety activist says not having lifeguards will cost lives, 05/25/2020 WSBT-TV No Lifeguards, Michigan City Warns Beachgoers to Swim at their Own Risk. The meeting will take place at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20, and will focus on gathering public feedback on the draft of the new general management plan. In 2017, 40 people drown in Lake Michigan. Its meant to be a tool for lifeguards; but it doesnt replace them. I cant get enough qualified lifeguards to apply, said Richards. He died the next day. Lifeguards make sense Common sense and financial sense, Benjamin said. 11ax is more advanced built-in WiFi that can delivers faster internet connection than 802. And Hoffmaster has been researching how the city might have access to coronavirus relief funds from the federal and state governments. I pulled a kid out who was under for 10 minutes. Schwertners body was found about 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, behind rocks along the shore behind 12700 Lake Ave. 09/10/2022 ESSEX COUNTY, NEAR COLCHESTER MCCARTHY DRIVE Police received a report of a missing person on Saturday around 8:06 p.m. Investigation determined that the man was at the beach when a family member could not locate him. Enter an organism name (or organism group name such as enterobacteriaceae, rodents), taxonomy id or select from the suggestion list as you type. 06/06/2018 CBS News of the Day Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project; Lake Michigan Water Safety Presentation in Ogden Dunes June 16th. Officials said he jumped into the lake off the pier and didnt resurface. On Thursday morning, Glaves boat, a white-colored 21-foot Striper with a black-colored canopy, was found by a passerby on the other side of Lake Erie along a rocky stretch of shore in Madison Township, Ohio. 06/04/2019 Interlochen Public Radio Record number of drowning deaths in Great Lakes last year. When I had given up my exhausted struggle to stay at the surface in the pounding waves, I luckily had enough float in my surfing wetsuit to stay at the surface and breathe I could float, breathe, overcome the panic and eventually float back to shore. He cited news reports that a Coast Guard helicopter search can run as high as $16,000 an hour. Ive been doing this for 10 years now and it never gets easier and usually it is always the same message. Benjamin says if you do want to go swimming in wavy water, to wear a life jacket. Men are less likely to take safety precautions, Pratt said. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Thats according to a tally by the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, a nonprofit water safety group that keeps a comprehensive database of Great Lakes drownings. 12/07/2022 CHICAGO, IL Krzysztof Szubert, M-21 The body of a man was discovered in Lake Michigan early Wednesday near Oak Street Beach. Others on the boat were unfamiliar with its operation and were not able to get the boat turned around before Forsythe disappeared under the water. If a person is drowning, theres a very small window about four minutes to rescue them without irreversible brain damage, or, in the worst-case scenario, death. 07/27/2019 Holland Sentinel Man drowns in Lake Michigan near Holland, 07/27/2019 Northwest Indiana Times 35-year-old Michigan man dies after slipping under water at Indiana Dunes State Park. 09/06/2018 The News Dispatch MICHIGAN CITY A man who fell off the pier in Washington Park onto the rocks on Sunday was pulled from the water by lifeguards and taken to a hospital in stable condition. GLSRP is a non-profit group that tracks drowning statistics and performs presentations and training around the Midwest. The parents were in the two seats, the nine-year old, Kyra, in the middle, holding her three-year-old brother, Jansen, in her lap. 10/21/2020 Mix 95.7 Grand Rapids Holland State Park will limit access to the pier during winter, 10/21/2020 MLIVE Holland State Park likely to gate-off Lake Michigan pier during dangerous conditions, 10/20/2020 WZZM Holland State Park to limit access to pier during harsh weather. I corrected some of it in the brackets above.]. Its not worth it. Finally, if you have to choose just one flotation device for your next trip to the beach, he says, make it a U.S. Coast Guard-approved, properly fitting life jacket., 06/07/2018 Detroit News Near-tragedy inspires [Jamie Racklyefts] Great Lakes anti-drowning effort, 07/06/2018 ABC 7 dangerous waves, rip currents make local beaches hazardous. Many accidents and incidents near harbor structures occur during the turbulent weather season late in the year and higher than normal water levels pose an added threat. OVERVIEW OF GREAT LAKES DROWNINGS 01/01/2010 12/31/2019, 74 drownings in 201088 in 201199 in 201267 in 201354 in 201455 in 201599 in 201688 in 2017117 in 201897to date in 2019838since 2010, 2019 = 97Lake Michigan = 48Lake Superior = 5Lake Huron = 8Lake Erie = 28Lake Ontario =8. Since 2010, the GLSRP said there have been 762 drownings in the Great Lakes. But according to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, Lake Michigan has taken 31 lives this year alone, marking it one of the deadliest summers since 2010. Its the only organization collecting data for all drownings across all of the Great Lakes. 09/26/2022 MICHIANA 4000 block of Lakeshore Drive Jason A. Ryno, M-48- from Joliet, Illinois was found on Sept. 26 in the lake near the 4000 block of Lakeshore Drive in Michiana, 09/30/2022 BODY RECOVERED CHICAGO ROGERS PARK John Doe, M- 54 6:50 a.m. in the 1000-block of West Albion Avenue. Advance registration is required for the meeting. Thats $384,000 per 24-hour day just for the Coast Guard response, Benjamin said. The devices are expected to be stored in a cabinet, or kiosk, and will include attached ropes. Were also working with the township and engineers and having ongoing conversations about what we can do, such as placing a gate on the pier and finding other ways to educate the public.. 03/29/2018 Herald Palladium Silver Beach seeks lifeguards, offers safety info Lifeguards at Silver Beach must be at least 16 years old and have current American Red Cross (or equivalent) lifeguard certification and CPR certification for adults, children, and infants. The Kochers only child, Matt, drowned in Lake Michigan while at camp in 2013 at the age of 15, pulled from the shore by a rip current. But the No. 05/16/2017 PR CRITICAL UPDATE: Great Lakes Drownings Increase; Water Safety Presentation Wednesday on the beach in Michigan City, Indiana. The record lows on Lake Superior were set in the late 1920s, with the exception of August and September records that were broken in 2007 (Table 1). Lake Ontario saw its own share of water-related tragedies this summer with at least three drownings in five weeks, including: In Hazels case, authorities said he was wearing a life jacket when his boat sank. 06/18/2017 ABC 57 Michigan Lake named deadliest Great Lake Over half of the drownings in the Great Lakes so far this year have occurred in Lake Michigan. Once stay-at-home orders were lifted in Ontario, Michigan, and other U.S. states, COVID-fatigued people flocked to beaches near major centres.