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12/27/2019 MLIVE Beach town seeks input on lifeguards, fines for swimmers after spike in Lake Michigan drownings SOUTH HAVEN, MI Residents in a Southwest Michigan city are encouraged to take a survey meant to help city leaders make the shoreline community safer after an increased number of drownings seen in Lake Michigan this year. Because the water level is higher along the piers, a smaller wave, 2 feet 3 feet might be enough to wash someone off the pier. In this capacity, the Great Lakes CoastWatch program obtains, produces, and delivers environmental data and products for near real-time monitoring of the Great Lakes to support . Minutes pass while you establish your location and get emergency responders to the scene. According to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, 117 drownings occurred on the Great Lakes in 2018. His body was found 11 kilometers south of Port Bruce, shortly after 7 p.m. Friday. 11/18/2018 Parents Preventing Childhood Drowning Sunday Survival Story: Swim Near a Lifeguard! The number nearly doubled the previous year, and was the worst for drownings since 2012. There are also life rings, an emergency phone and camera system reinstalled on the pier since the recent catwalk replacement. The mans death, Pratt said, marks the 560th fatal drowning on the Great Lakes since 2010. But, out of the 582 drownings since 2010, only five wore life jackets all of whom died because they were in really cold water for a prolonged time, says Bob Pratt, the projects director of education. The weather can change at the flick of a switch with the wind and the waves. The meme was largely accurate in terms of the size of Lake Superior, and it wasn . Its been a busy season a lot of responses, said U.S. Coast Guard junior grade Lt. Kyle Maxey. Benjamin said with the drowning of 16-year old boy, Angel Sedano of Gurnee, Ill., on Sunday, the number of Great Lakes drownings since 2010 is now 643, almost half of which occur in Lake Michigan. The water beckons visitors like a dip under a waterfall. The project advocates for people to use the Flip, Float and Follow method, which tells the person who is struggling to flip over, float on their back and to not fight against the current. (KMSP) - A Wisconsin DNR investigative report reveals a series of errors by the family who tipped their kayak in Lake Superior near Madeline Island in late August, leading to the deaths of the three children and their father. Lake Michigan, with its vast shoreline and beaches near large populations, has claimed the most lives thus far, 37, followed by Lake Erie, 33, Lake Ontario, 21, Lake Huron, 8, and Lake Superior, 6. 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. 09/04/2018 Northwest Indiana Times Organization says recent Labor Day weekend deadliest for drownings since 2010 This was the deadliest Labor Day weekend since the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project began tracking drowning statistics in 2010, the organizations director said. Benjamin argues, when it comes to water safety, time is of the essence. If you are headed to a Great Lakes shoreline to walk out on a breakwater, climb some nearshore rocks, or jog along a lakeshore path, its important to know what the predicted wave and wind patterns will be for the day. 07/15/2020 Detroit Feee Press 2 children seen running as high waves almost take them underwater, 07/15/2020 CBS 2 Chicago Video Shows Two Kids Nearly Swept Away By Waves On Michigan City Pier, 07/15/2020 Northwest Indiana Times WATCH NOW: Footage of children nearly swept into Lake Michigan amid crashing waves. A water safety school curriculum needs to be mandated and funded in the Great Lakes region as well as nationwide. Contact. When they hit that pier, they go out and around that pier and one of the duties of lifeguards at that beach is to keep people from swimming in the water around that pier, said Benjamin. It was one of four drownings in 2018, putting officials under pressure to do something. If you ask anyone anywhere in the United States, What do you do if your clothes catch on fire? they will tell you, Stop, drop and roll. But ask them What do you do if you are drowning? and youll most often get silence and blank stares, explained Dave Benjamin, executive director of the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project (www.GLSPR.org). Know your limits. There have been 892 drownings in the Great Lakes since 2010, with the majority occurring in Lake Michigan, according to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. And it blows my mind that you have all these beaches with no life guards.. It's worth noting that just six drownings in Lake Michigan this year happened on red flag days or during severe weather conditions; two of the deaths occurred in Michigan (the . 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. The woman was taken to a nearby hospital for further medical treatment, but her condition is not yet known. This data is preliminary and locations of fatalities are approximate. The DNR called it a tragic accident; the contributing factors: overloading of the kayak, operator inexperience and passenger behavior. 09/10/2017 The Cutoff News Surfing the Region: Filmmaker brings documentary to NWI. Life jackets are required by law for anyone going out in a boat, but it does no good if they are not wearing it, Belanger said. Pay is $10.40 an hour. Winds are the primary source of the dangerous currents on the Great Lakes, said Dave Benjamin, GLSRP Executive Director. Many of those victims simply go under and dont come up. Who. A water safety school curriculum needs to be mandated and funded in the Great Lakes region as well as nationwide. A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter can run as high as $16,000 per hour. Reported that CPR was given by Coast Guard and taken to Evanston from Wilmette Harbor. Half of those were in Lake Michigan, and half of those happened in the south end of the lake, here in Chicago, and in Milwaukee and Northwest Indiana. 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. 06/24/2020 ABC 7 CHICAGO Keeping Chicago beaches closed could be dangerous, safety experts say. Hypothermia will set in over the next hour. The devices are expected to be stored in a cabinet, or kiosk, and will include attached ropes. If you go to a beach and you see red flags flying and hundreds of people in the water, what message does that send? Benjamin said. After about 15 minutes of searching, the drone located the 5-year-old about 50 feet from shore. And those who do survive will likely have brain damage. I was in a structural current. Unfortunately, a drowning person can climb all over you, and a drowning person can take you under, Benjamin said. Find an obituary, get service details, leave condolence messages or send flowers or gifts in memory of a loved one. 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). Deaths that occurred before 1999 were coded according to the ICD, Ninth Edition. Signs at the park advise visitors to swim at their own risk. We still have four more months to go, Benjamin said. Hes still processing it. 09/05/2017 Associated Press Water Safety Group Finds Fewer Lake Michigan Drownings. Its a big target for rescuers to see, especially a lime green kayak, Schmidt said. In November of that same year, she went to the Port Sheldon Township Board and pleaded for warning signs and other safety equipment. He was part of a group of students taking pictures and playing in the water on Sept. 6. Certificates: 377; Diplomas: 128; Associate Degrees: 656; Total: 1161; Note: Full-Year Equivalent (FYE) is defined as total student credit hours divided by 30. White said the city has placed an order to erect six signs along the beach with information on rip currents and what to do in an emergency situation. Water safety is not common sense, yet most people assume it is common sense and that is one of the reasons why drowning continues to be a neglected public health issue.. First, put on your personal flotation device and dress for the water temperature, which in Lake Erie Monday was about 38 degrees. 1868. 4. The Lake Superior Circle Tour is a 1,300 mile (2,092km) self guided tour around the worlds largest fresh water lake. About 85 percent of them are men. Boater safety courses are one of the most important things you should do before heading out on a boat, Maxey said. 06/30/2018 Daily Herald Excessive heat warning extended to 7 p.m. Sunday We call this a lake, but its really like an inland sea. So far in 2020, at least 10 people have drowned in Lake Michigan, according to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. Unfortunately, water safety and drowning survival is not common sense, he said. She was last listed in critical Condition Witnesses said they saw the person struggling in the water A jogger saw the rescue and administered CPR until paramedics arrived. He had a bad wipe out, fell on his back and had the wind knocked out of him. Sain, who lived in Chicago, was one of two boaters who had been missing since July 27, since going boating from East Chicago. It calls for the U.S. Coast Guard to make safety presentations to students in middle and high schools, in cooperation with the KPD, Kenosha Fire Department, Kenosha YMCA and the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. Hence, more drownings. Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world. 05/17/2017 Chicago Sun-Times Balmy temps and frigid Lake Michigan a lethal mix Tianna Hollinside, 13, and Juan Cornelio, 23, may have never known what hit them before they joined the ranks of Chicagoans who died too young. I know he positively impacted so many during his short time on campus and losing him is going to be difficult.. So far in 2020, eight other people have died of drowning in Lake Michigan, according to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. 04/23/2018 WSBT New Buffalo leaders have decided to keep lifeguard program for the summer, 04/19/2018 Record Eagle Free YMCA class encourages adults to test the waters, 04/18/2018 Water Safety in Racine The City of Racine, Wisconsin is using the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project projects illustrations, the Signs of Drowning and Flip Float and Follow. About 300 more presentations are scheduled this year, with 100 of those in Northwest Indiana, he said. 04/04/2017 Stand Up Paddle the World Radio Bob Pratt is serious about drowning, very serious. Our lakes are immensely powerful, even when placid. 11/20/2020 Lake Superior Magazine Around the Circle This Week: November 20, 2020 Seasonal Corps Cautions: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers put out a release this week naming a few of the dangers to folks enjoying Great Lakes waters this time of year. The beach also plans to have kayak and paddleboard rentals. Abstract. 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. Our lakefront is a deceptively dangerous place to swim. They believe its the best approach to spreading information quickly, having completed more than 450 presentations in seven of the eight Great Lakes states. The family will probably never know how many people read the signs and heeded the warnings. Another drowning in September off of Lake Eries Turtle Island happened along the Michigan-Ohio border. During this year of record and near-record lake levels in the Great Lakes, drownings in Lake Michigan stand at 36, according to Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. By the time other kite surfers reached Tolle, he was unconscious. You flip on your back and you float float to keep your head above water, float to conserve your energy, and float to calm yourself down from the fear and panic of drowning and then follow the safest path out of the water. Benjamin said lifeguards stationed at the beach would be able to respond more quickly to a drowning or a missing child situation than emergency services. Those first responders quickly determine how to coordinate their efforts, and whether tools like SONAR can help pinpoint the victims location, but by that time it could be a recovery effort rather than a rescue, Benjamin said. Find an Obituary. He was transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later, police said. When you need it, Pratt says, it would be like trying to fasten your seatbelt during an accident. 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. A search is underway for Jacob Sandy, 23, last seen heading onto Lake Michigan to kayak. 08/13/2020 WISN The Milwaukee County Parks Department decided to close McKinley Beach for the rest of the summer after three people have drowned in rip currents. Drownings on Lake Ontario occurred at popular beaches within a short drive of Toronto. A fully staffed Bradford Beach would have 14 lifeguards working seven days a week for 10 weeks at a total cost of $70,000. You have seconds to get to a person before they submerge, Benjamin aid. 06/07/2020 WNDU Great Lakes Beach Hazard & Water Safety Awareness Week runs from June 7-13, 06/03/2020 South Bend Tribune How to avoid crowds and COVID-19 at shrunken beaches of Lake Michigan Michigan City decided against posting lifeguards at its beach this summer, a move that drew sharp criticism from the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project as its director, Dave Benjamin, said, Removing lifeguards will cost lives and the cost to recover a body is much greater than the lifeguards salaries.. [NOTE: 2018 stats are currently under review for final confirmation], 740 Great Lakes Drownings since 2010 (+/-). The reason that some believe many of the sailors are still in the lake and have not surfaced is due to Lake Superior's cold water. The preliminary investigation revealed several children were playing in the water and family members believed he had exited the water and returned to the beach with other family members. Do the opposite of your instincts. The GLSRP has other tips here, and advice on what to do about a dangerous current here. She died from hypothermia. (We) came together and now we will have lifesaving devices (going up) on the north and the south piers, Jim Zondlak, a KSFCA board member and former president, said Wednesday. The odd yet peaceful calm. Since 2010, Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project statistics show there have been 622 drownings in the Great Lakes, 292 of them in Lake Michigan, with 41 Lake Michigan fatalities so far this year. A person will become unconscious and their heart will stop. Rip currents are very serious and can pull you away from the beach., 06/30/2020 Northwest Indiana Times Practicing beach safety: Experts weigh in on how to protect yourself, kids during summer. Home. I wish that I didnt know anything about structural currents, about rip currents, Och said. Its like the stop, drop and roll of water safety.. On average almost half 47 percent of all Great Lakes drownings happen on Lake Michigan, Benjamin said. He said the most important aspect of what he learned was that floating is the key to survival.. The nonprofit annually tracks drownings in the Great Lakes and recently issued a warning about a summer spike in deaths. 04/18/2017 PR Lake Michigan Drownings up 84% in 2016 over 2015; GLSRP presenting at the Great Lakes Water Safety Consortiums Great Lakes Water Safety Conference Thursday and Friday, April 20 and 21, at the Maywood Environmental Park, 3615 Mueller Rd. Dr. Houser and Vlodarchyk found the number of drownings were lower than the historical average early in the pandemic, but the number began to increase as stay-at-home orders were lifted. The 17-year-old boy was with friends when he jumped off the north pier at the harbor and was overcome by strong currents Thursday. He said he always begins with an informal survey that typically reveals about 90% of the students say they know how to swim. Stay Safe. Cargo included 70 tons of Montana silver ore, and the "Comet" has been dubbed the only true treasure ship of Lake Superior. That operator was retrieved and transported to the University of Chicago for treatment and is listed in critical condition. The training was led by the Great Lakes surf rescue project and the purpose of the training was to prevent deaths on the lake this summer. He was with several others when he slipped and fell into the water around 5 a.m. near the 2600 block of North Cannon Drive, Chicago officials said. Southend: The Place Where I Go Surfing was screened Sept. 14 at The Towle Theater in Hammond and will be screened again Sept. 22 at Fire and Water At Washington Park in Michigan City. 09/07/2018 CBS 58 Beyond a nightmare: Mother whose son drowned in 2013 calling for change after Kenosha teen drowns. 07/31/2020 WSBT So far this year 24 people have drowned in Lake Michigan Water safety advocate Dave Benjamin has spent the past 10 years tracking Lake Michigan drownings. 2016 was the deadliest year on the lake. But according to Mulligan, safety concerns arent what a general management plan is designed to tackle. 05/11/2017 LaPorte County Life City of Michigan City Shares Swimming Safety Swimming is a fun and enjoyable activity for children and adults alike, and its an easy way to stay physically active and improve strength, flexibility and stamina, said Park Superintendent Jeremy Kienitz. 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. The configuration of Lake Michigan as well as its residential population density and tourism population density creates a higher probability for accidents; i.e. That explains why people take risks, such as swimming alone or beyond their physical capability, and why so often would-be rescuers become drowning victims, he said. Dave Benjamin, executive director of public relations and project management for the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, said family members who have lost a loved one often talk about how the drowning victim was physically fit and a good swimmer. They think drowning cant or wont happen to them. 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. In her life on the shore of Lake Superior she mingles with fishermen and farmers, quiet folk who keep to themselves. Also, the report states, most people who drown arent wearing life jackets. simply said, the more people in and around the water, the more possibility for an accident to happen., Men, especially, are susceptible to drowning. And that comes from a place of misunderstanding. 06/04/2019 Southtown Star Just because you know how to swim, doesnt mean you know how to survive As pool and beach season gets underway safety experts remind water lovers not to have a false sense of security because a lifeguard is on duty or because they know how to swim. Full statisticshere. Benjamin decided he wanted to teach others about water safety and drowning prevention, and [organized] a surfboard rescue class in June 2011 [led by Bob Pratt]. Primer specificity stringency. Sympathy Ideas. Just call them the rings of life, read the headline of a July 30 story in the News Dispatch in Michigan City. It doesnt do you any good if your life jacket just sits in the boat. 08/06/2018 UpNorthLive Safety tips for swimming in the Great Lakes It blows my mind that water safety curriculum isnt in the state, statewide, because youre always near a body of water, said Dave Benjamin, the executive director of The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. Theyre first responders on the beach, Benjamin said. The presentation will include information about drowning statistics; the signs of drowning; survival strategies, including flip, float, follow; how, why and where dangerous currents occur; basic water rescue; and basic water resuscitation. Its not rocket science. 08/06/2018 WZZM Tips for surviving a rip current in Lake Michigan Rip currents are quite common in the Great Lakes; here are some survival tips if you get caught in one. Plus, if you take the boat out, be on the lookout hazards like vegetation or trees that couldve been washed off the shore line that are now submerged close to the water due to high water levels and wave activity. As of late Wednesday, 5,400 [8,500+] people had signed the petition. Water temperatures are in the 50s at the south end of Lake Michigan, and swimmers are advised not to jump off boats or piers. Lifeguards not only have to worry about saving a swimmer in trouble, but also themselves. There have been 53 drownings in Lake Michigan this year. In 2019, a total of 48 people drowned in Lake Michigan. What we hope is that, perhaps through our tragedy, more harms can be prevented, and lives can be saved, James Schmidt said. Upon completion of the conference, attendees will leave with new strategies, insights, and know-how to save lives in their communities andthe best ways to respond in the event ofa tragedy. 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. of Natural Resources says the 6-year-old child was swimming in the swim zone of the beach when they went under the water but failed to resurface. One of the biggest concerns with Lake Superior is the water temperature; it fluctuates very little in the summer time. In our opinion, drowning should be treated like a public health issue, he said. [SWIM AT YOUR OWN RISK is a Fallacy!] 11/18/2020 Fox TV 6 High water levels and wave events increase safety hazards on Great Lakes 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. As clich as it sounds to anyone who hasnt had a near-death experience, Bokuns life flashed through his mind, he said. Three bodies found in the lake this year are not yet confirmed as drownings, said David Benjamin, executive director of the safety group. People can find themselves in potential drowning situations after going overboard on a boat, simply jumping into the water to cool off or becoming detached from a towing activity, like water skiing or tubing. There have been six in 2018 already. He was rescued around 11 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 13, and handed over a gear box before getting on the Coast Guard vessel. Each year since 1994, Lake Superior Magazine has chosen an organization or individual to honor for making a significant contribution to the well-being of Lake Superior and its people. Body Recovered 01/19/2023 near Dunkirk in Chautauqua County, New York. Also making sure everyone is wearing a life vest. But the city began issuing park stickers on Thursday, and will begin collecting for parking at Washington Park on Saturday. NEW! 07/29/2019 ABC 13 on your side Certified lifeguard says swimmers should pay attention to flags, conditions at Lake Mich. Adls body was found floating at Whitefish Dunes State Park in Door County at 7:54 a.m. Sunday, 09/04/2018 Fox 6 News The deadliest since we started tracking in 2010: 12 drownings in Great Lakes over Labor Day weekend, 09/01/2018 The News Dispatch Caution urged when swimming in big lake Two Lake Michigan drownings make for deadly start to long weekend. 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. He noted the city and the Corps already have a real estate agreement for the south pier of the harbor and might not need to do a new and separate one for the north pier. I was on the town board at the time (of the drowning) and that was the worst town board meeting ever all of these seats are filled with people who want to know why you didnt do something.