Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project reported 36 drownings on Lake Michigan so far this year as of September 19, 2019. This year, more than 100 people have drowned in the Great Lakes making it the deadliest year in a decade. What do you do if your clothes catch on fire? Let that sink in and now truly understand that water safety is not common sense. This year has been no exception. 09/05/2017 Associated Press Water Safety Group Finds Fewer Lake Michigan Drownings. Two other important tips from the Coast Guard: avoid alcohol and wear a life jacket. Males are more likely to take risks, more susceptible to peer pressure, more likely to overestimate their ability, he said. 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. Its time to stop talking about it and just do it, Benjamin added. 74 drownings in 201087 in 201199 in 201267 in 201354 in 201455 in 201599 in 201688 in 2017117 to date in 2018740 since 2010, To date in 2018 by Lake:43 in Lake Michigan5 in Lake Superior8 in Lake Huron36 in Lake Erie25 in Lake Ontario117 to date in 2018, 625 Great Lakes Drownings since 2010 (+/-). 05/17/2017 PR Memorial Water Safety Presentation or 2015 Lake Michigan Drowning Victim as Lake Michigan drownings are up 57% over 2016. 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. But it is unclear if a lifeguard would have made a difference in Sareyis drowning. Drownings in Lake Michigan are a statistical surety. All rights . Its not about you, and what answers you want to get, its about them telling their story.. And even with that vigilance, tragedy struck twice this summer off of Hamburgs shore. Floating can calm people down. 08/22/2018 WGN 720 AM The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project and great water safety tips WGN Radios Patti Vasquez is joined by Dave Benjamin, Director of the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project to discuss water safety and how you can stay safe while swimming during your aquatic fun. The 4 Ws warm, wind, waves and weekend- may come into play this weekend bringing more people to the beach. Primer specificity stringency. Benjamin said its time for Holland State Park to hire lifeguards. It gives people a false sense of security. 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 . The first of the Beach Safety Initiatives is 14 red zonal signs meant to help rescue crews find exactly where an emergency is happening. This could suggest meteotsunami-induced rips may be frequently related to water safety incidents, the paper said. It becomes a frantic search.. He was recovered and lifesaving measures were taken, but he succumbed. Weve made a pretty good effort to try and deal with it, Angeli added. Benjamin cites the 1-10-1 rule of hypothermia for anyone considering a swim in dangerously cold waters: One minute to control your breathing, 10 minutes until you are unable to move, one hour for hypothermia to set in. Rip Currents To get out of a rip current, it is advised to Flip, Float, Follow until the current subsides to save your energy and reduce your risk of drowning. According to the Minnesota State Patrol, a 2004 Pontiac Grand Am, driven by 29-year-old Ryan Matthew Halvorson, was southbound on Highway 29. Waves pushed him to the bottom [and he struggled] for about two minutes, before he could get back to the surface and cough up the water. Accomplished kite-surfer Jeff Biehler, who owned Biehlers Village Square Liquors in Hamburg, died after taking to Lake Erie on a warm and gusty afternoon on Aug. 15 and running into trouble in choppy waters. 07/09/2020 Windsor Star UWindsor prof worries more beach goers could lead to more drownings. After about 15 minutes of searching, the drone located the 5-year-old about 50 feet from shore. Specifically, as stay-at-home orders were lifted and residents were able to visit the beach, there was an increase in the number of drownings close to the main city centres.. We believe drowning is preventable and survivable.. After searching more than 2,500 miles of the bottom of Lake Superior, the Atlanta a 172-foot schooner-barge that sank during a terrible storm has been found, preserved in the icy water just as it was when it went down more than 130 years ago. And canceling lifeguards is a huge setback, Benjamin said. 05/16/2017 PR CRITICAL UPDATE: Great Lakes Drownings Increase; Water Safety Presentation Wednesday on the beach in Michigan City, Indiana. 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. 06/21/2020 NBC 5 Illinois Coronavirus Updates: New Social Distancing Ambassadors, More People at Beaches Water Safety Concerns Are on the Rise as More People Head to Area Beaches. Every year in the United States there are over 4,000* fatal unintentional drownings, including boating-related drowning. Water that is below 70 degrees is considered dangerous and can quickly lead to hypothermia and death, according to the National Center for Cold Water Safety. 09/06/2018 WNDU ST. JOSEPH, MIEven though Labor Day is over and lifeguards are no longer on duty at beaches, many beach-goers are taking a final advantage of the warm weather. Sturgeon Lake, Minnesota. The week included presentations about water safety by David Benjamin from the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project at Unified high schools and middle schools. A water safety school curriculum needs to be mandated and funded in the Great Lakes region as well as nationwide. Many piers, docks and portions of breakwaters may not be visible above the water surface due to high water and waves. A throw ring, a rope and a hook, I would think, is about $50, said Benjamin, who has been involved in the Kenosha YMCAs project to promote water safety in the schools. Floating also conserves energy. The deepest point in the lake is 405 metres or 1,333 feet. Previously, the beach east of Dunes Creek did not have lifeguards during the week but as that section of the beach got busier, the park could justify adding lifeguards there seven days a week, he said, adding the beach west of the creek had lifeguards seven days a week. If you are caught in a rip current, swim parallel to shore. 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. In a kayak that offered no protection from the elements, the father made a fateful decision for his family, to try to paddle to the lighthouses on Michigan Island. 07/10/2018 WDIO Thursday at Ten: Under Water: Searching for Air According to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Program, there have been 660 Great Lakes drownings since 2010, and there have been 37 already this year. He was brought to shore where life-saving efforts were started and then transported in critical condition to Franciscan Health Michigan City hospital. 10/10/2018 CBC Why are so many more people drowning in the Great Lakes? In the spring of 2012, the GLSRP endorsed Flip, Float, and Follow and have been advocating it to the media and public ever since. If were looking at the beach here in Michigan City, Indiana, theres a lot less beach here than there was last year. This summer we could see the perfect storm for drownings in the Great Lakes region. said Dave Benjamin, executive director of the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. It takes three minutes of submersion in water for a persons heart to stop; after four minutes irreversible brain damage begins. 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. 06/11/2017 WLNS 6 Staying safe around water as summer approaches Its shaping up to be a very hot summer and unfortunately that means that well have an increase in the number of drownings, says Bob Pratt, Director of Education at Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. I didnt know about dangerous currents in the Great Lakes. 09/08/2017 Post-Tribune Sand, surf season ends with no drownings at lakefront parks. 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. They have fire drills, tornado drills, shooting drills and even earthquake drills in school, said Benjamin. Finally, they jumped off to try to swim back, the winds were strong and the water was cold. Sadly, most of these drownings happen on our nearby pond, Lake Michigan. Because of the number of boats, kayaks, Jet Skis and paddle-boats in the lake off of Hamburgs shoreline, Denecke said the town takes extra precautions and stations some crew along the shoreline even when swimming at the towns beach is closed. Wear a lifejacket especially while traveling on boats. Malewitz says after a very heated public meeting, the city council decided to stay the course for now, and keep lifeguards on New Buffalo beaches. Just call them the rings of life, read the headline of a July 30 story in the News Dispatch in Michigan City. A life ring is one of the easiest ways to save a drowning victim, especially off a pier. Meteotsunamis are sort of the sharks of the Great Lakes, Benjamin said. Dave Benjamin with the Great Lakes Surf Rescue project couldnt disagree more. I think council through its vested power in my office should be able to close the beach Monday morning, Friday afternoon, Sunday, it doesnt matter.. It is sponsored by ArcelorMittal. Among them will be a resolution authorizing the city to install three life ring buoys on Kenosha Harbors north pier, a life ring set on the south wall of the harbor and another near the mouth of the Pike River which feeds into the lake near the band shell at Pennoyer Park. 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. The number nearly doubled the previous year, and was the worst for drownings since 2012. It was mounting multiple life rings on a pier, Stanick said. 08/29/2019 Univision Revelan preocupante cifra por ahogamientos en el lago Michigan en lo que va del 2019. There were 307,205 deaths in Canada in 2020, the year in which the COVID -1 9 pandemic began, an increase of 21,935 (+7.7%) over the 285,270 deaths observed in 2019. The Chicago area has already had five people drown in Lake Michigan this year. After three minutes in the water, a drowning victims heart stops. It was a simple solution that became very complex. But with high water levels and erosion leading to smaller beach fronts, many are packing in, leading to increased concern over water safety. Preliminary data on fatalities which occurred in the surf zones across National Weather Service areas of forecast responsibility through January 31, 2023. 09/06/2018 WGN 720 AM Water Safety with Dave Benjamin Tonight on The Patti Vasquez Show with Andrea Darlas: To discuss water safety and to share some tips to stay safe we welcome Dave Benjamin (Director of Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, Halle Quezada, creator of the Chicago Alliance for Waterfront Safety, and John Kocher, co-founder of the Matthew Kocher Foundation). in Sheboygan, WI. And if the wind blows an inflatable toy out, just let it go. Search United States obituaries and condolences, hosted by Echovita.com. 2. Our lakes are immensely powerful, even when placid. According to Benjamin, 66 percent of all drowning victims are good swimmers. 06/04/2019 Interlochen Public Radio Record number of drowning deaths in Great Lakes last year. The indications are these incidents happen because the public isnt educated and neither are the politicians. The advocacy group reported 48 drownings in Lake Michigan in 2019, two of them in Michigan City and seven total in northwest Indiana, according to The Times of Northwest Indiana. Once a person figures out which way the current is moving they should swim perpendicular to the current until theyre out of it. Kyra swam towards Michigan Island, as her father and mother tried to flip the kayak, but it was too heavy. And float, Benjamin would add. And although its portrayed on television as a dramatic, long lasting incident, Pratt says, drowning can happen in the blink of an eye. Three life rings were installed at the North Pier Monday, joining one life ring on the South Pier and another on the Pike River after a tragic year. A GoFundMe page has been set up to assist the Nugent family with funeral arrangements. Hawke said it would be great to have the funds to pay for lifeguards. Water levels are higher, beaches are thinner and more people will be converging at beaches for outdoor recreation. Also, the report states, most people who drown arent wearing life jackets. Both boys also died. I cannot stress enough that drowning really is a public health issue that needs to be treated like a public health issue, Dave Benjamin, Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project executive director, said last fall. The weather can change at the flick of a switch with the wind and the waves. The diver, whose identity has not yet been released, was taken to Northshore Evanston Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Men are less likely to take safety precautions, Pratt said. Drownings on Lake Ontario occurred at popular beaches within a short drive of Toronto. Dave Benjamin of The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project gave a safety presentation at Wells Street Beach in Gary Saturday. Read more .2016. Mo Hakim, one of the head lifeguards at Washington Park, realized the dangers of Lake Michigan firsthand last summer when he rescued a victim who dived off of the pier, even though this is forbidden. Future of New Buffalo lifeguard program in doubt New Buffalo leaders are still debating the future of the citys lifeguard program. 07/29/2019 ABC 13 on your side Certified lifeguard says swimmers should pay attention to flags, conditions at Lake Mich. 06/04/2019 Post-Tribune Drowning doesnt look like drowning, says water safety advocatenlike the way its portrayed in movies, drowning is often quiet. Many public pools may be closed or have delayed openings, which means that many more people will be going to the beach.. 09/18/2020 NWI Times Beach hazards, frost predicted across Region, 09/18/2020 KPC News Beach hazards, frost predicted across Region. According to the GLSRP, there have been 22 Great Lakes drownings so far for 2019. 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. Silver Beach lifeguards receive additional training throughout the summer season from U.S. Coast Guard, local law enforcement, and Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, among others. Their mother survived. In fact, it's so large that it could hold the water from all of the other Great Lakes, along with three more Lake Eries! A St. Paul man who disappeared nearly a month ago was shot to death and dismembered before being thrown into Lake Superior from a fishing boat, according to charges filed late last week. Search Wisconsin Obituaries. By Sept. 2, of 2016, 73 drowning deaths had occurred. Help. Lake Superior is the largest, cleanest, and wildest of all the Great Lakes. In absence of that, he noted that the Grand Haven Department of Public Safety is a leader in water rescue training and is often called to help train personnel from other agencies. Malewitz says there is not a government source for those numbers. Float. Their executive director of education, Bob Pratt, spoke with us about the spike in drowning deaths this year. Currents caused by wind or structures like piers can make swimming in the lakes dangerous. Thats one of our biggest worries. As Coronavirus cabin fever mixes with summer excitment, many people want to get out and jump in the pool or lake. The odd yet peaceful calm. Its a big target for rescuers to see, especially a lime green kayak, Schmidt said. Another resolution aims to educate middle and high school students about water safety. The body of Emery, who was a native of Hamilton, was recovered later that afternoon about 60 feet from where he jumped in, according to a CTV News report. 10/25/2019 NBC 5 Brandt Miller In 2012 the GLSRP pioneered the Flip, Float, and Follow drowning survival technique to the public and media, and here is a Chicagoland woman crediting it for saving her life when she was on vacation this October. Sometime before 4p.m. the weather turned, the water became rocky and the kayak began to take on water. The most recent Lake Michigan drowning involved 18-year-old Daniel McCarthy of Baldwin, who got caught in a current along with eight other swimmers, but never made it to shore. A GoFundMe page has been setup to help Nugents family with funeral costs. Lifeguards are trained to watch, theyre trained to know what drowning looks like and theyre trained to get to victims in less than 60 seconds and bring them a flotation device.. We were still resolving the $3.4 million shortfall that we discovered shortly after I took office in January.. If you dont know what drowning looks like, youll miss it. We have more high wave warnings coming Reminder to heed the warnings., 08/16/2020 NWI Times Teen remains missing after disappearing off Portage Riverwalk, official says, 08/14/2020 Interlochen Public Radio Late summer, early fall can be a dangerous time on Great Lakes for boaters, swimmers. Here the wave is breaking every moment so it will suck you right out and down faster than you can expect. The warnings come after three boys died this weekend after they were pulled from Lake Michigan in separate incidents. I corrected some of it in the brackets above.]. Bokun has read too many stories about people whove drowned in that lake without the stereotypical image of flailing arms and desperate screams. 07/16/2020 Chicago Sun-Times John Doe, M-?, Swimmer dies after going underwater for 40 minutes in Lake Michigan at Promontory Point. Emergency personnel continued those efforts, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene. 3 min read. 07/13/2020 BuzzFeed Update: Search for man in water continues in South Haven, MI, 07/12/2020 Fox 6 News Beach Hazard issued for some lakeshore counties Sunday, 07/12/2020 MLIVE 6-foot waves, strong currents forecast for some Lake Michigan beaches on Sunday, 07/12/2020 The Detroit Free Press Its swimming season in Michigans lakes and rivers: Have fun but use caution, 07/10/2020 ABC 57 Dangerous Outlook: Strong currents, high waves along Lake Michigan. Great Lakes drownings in 2019 (As of July 24, 2019): GLSRP says since 2010, 784 people have lost their lives in Lakes Michigan, Superior, Huron, Erie and Ontario. Great Lakes drownings Three of the warmest summers this decade have also brought the three highest numbers of annual drownings. In the past, summer shifts for Atwater Park lifeguards were from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. And a lifeguard for the public beach would not have been able to see the break wall on private property from which Sareyi jumped, Tyke said. Its risky to have lifeguards on duty. Benjamin and Bob Pratt, GLSRPs executive director of education, are currently traveling throughout the Midwest to provide in-school presentations on water safety. 07/13/2022 SOUTH HAVEN, MI NORTH BEACH PARK WAVES & DANGEROUS CURRENTS 7:30 p.m. John Doe, M-7 The South Haven Area Emergency Services was called to North Beach. 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. As states start to loosen shelter-in-place restrictions and the economy restarts, people want to get out, Benjamin said. 08/24/2018 Cleveland 19 News Ashtabula teen becomes latest Lake Erie drowning death in 2018 Safety experts and government officials are expected to meet in Cleveland this fall to discuss water and swim safety in Lake Erie. 05/15/2017 ABC 57 As summer nears, experts warn about dangers of Lake Michigan Life-saving lessons along the lake shore. Schools have fire drills, active shooter drills and tornado drills, but drowning kills more children every year than fires, guns and tornados.. Ten deaths on Lake Superior were blamed on the storm; 66 died on Lake Michigan and 46 died on land in Minnesota, most of them duck hunters caught unprepared. He was a football player for Mona Shores High School. Its really great to see that the Port Sheldon beach came through with their promise to install some of their water safety signage as well as some safety equipment, says Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project executive director, Dave Benjamin. Chicagos beaches are staffed with lifeguards only between the hours of 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Obey the rules, Bueling said. Thats where the need for education comes in. Richards says the council has special meetings Thursday and Friday. It has been a deadly summer on beaches along the Great Lakes, with significantly more drownings than in pre-COVID years, a pair of UWindsor researchers has found. But a lack of widespread knowledge that drowning can happen to anyone means many visitors ignore red flags. They may not understand the need to check weather conditions before going out or realize the dangers of jumping off a boat to take a swim, he said. The not-for-profit group says drowning numbers will go down as more people, especially children, are educated about the many aspects of water safety. No one should go swimming there, he said. On Saturday, 08/20/2022, a recreational boater in the Playpen spotted a mans body floating in Lake Michigan as the Chicago Air and Water Show wrapped up Saturday. . Theres more information on Great Lakes drowning statistics and how to keep yourself on the water, www.glsrp.org. Their focus is the entire Lake Superior ecosystem . And, according to The Process of Drowning Timeline, lifeguards are a drowning persons only hope.. Overall since 2010, the GLSRP has tracked 625 Great Lakes drownings. 10/08/2020 MLIVE Letter from the Editor: Lake Michigan drowning video shows the power of nature, and the power of journalism to save lives. 08/20/2018 WLS THEY SHOULD HAVE SAID SOMETHING Maliks mother, Micah Freeman, said she did not know that a 10-year-old boy had been pulled from the water just an hour before her son went under. It covers 82,000 sq km (31,700 sq mi) with an average depth of 147 metres or 483 feet. GREAT LAKES, USA The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project (GLSRP) announces its current drowning statistics. But people often overestimate their swimming ability, Benjamin said. Dave Benjamin, executive director of the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, told me that the Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk is a hazard for potential drownings. We are going to continue to limit spending and watch our revenues closely, I believe with close monitoring and watchful spending, that the city will come out of this on the other side OK, and that we will not have to reduce our workforce or reduce any of the services that our residents have become used to.. Almost half of those drownings take place in Lake Michigan. Wearing a life jacket is really important, said Marty Denecke, the town of Hamburgs director of youth, recreation and senior services. Just remember: Flip, float and follow. 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. During his undergraduate studies, Vlodarchyk developed a model to predict the number of drownings based on summer air temperature, precipitation, and ice coverage in the previous winter which relates to lake temperatures. 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. Theres this thing called the stigma of drowning, Benjamin said. 07/13/2022 SOUTH HAVEN, MI NORTH BEACH PARK WOULD-BE RESCUER WAVES & DANGEROUS CURRENTS 7:30 p.m. Anthony Paul Diehl M-33, of Beaver Creek, OH. So, we always tell people to steer clear from the pier. It doesnt do you any good if your life jacket just sits in the boat. 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. Warning people about the dangers in Lake Michigan. Luckily I survived. Note:* = (+/-) Awaiting 100% confirmation of drowning. 06/24/2020 ABC 7 CHICAGO Keeping Chicago beaches closed could be dangerous, safety experts say. Structures that may be visible on a calm day may not be visible on a windy day. Two other deaths on Lake Erie occurred just outside of New York waters, including the July drowning of a 12-year-old Elmwood Franklin School girl in Fort Erie, Ont. 25 Posts. I cant employ enough qualified lifeguards, said David Richards, city manager. Applicants will have to pass a lifesaving test at a local indoor pool before being hired. According to the American Red Cross, 54 percent of Americans do not have the basic swimming abilities to save their own lives in a water emergency. 07/28/2017 WLS 7 Life threatening waves, rip currents lead to swim bans The latest statistics from the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project report 49 drownings in the Great Lakes so far this year. We need lifeguards at Washington Park.. Knowing how to swim doesnt mean you wont drown, Benjamin said. I want to get the word out and make this a wonderful turnout for this incredible deserving family.. 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. Benjamin said because the physical struggle often takes place under water, as the victims legs and arms climb a ladder or paw at the water, onlookers are often unaware the individual is in trouble. 07/12/2018 Kenosha News Safety Around Water: Be aware of dangerous currents, winds and cold water. Signs at the park advise visitors to swim at their own risk. Stacy Fishbein, 21, of Vaughan, Ont., whose body was recovered July 28 near Olcott. These numbers go up almost daily, this time of year, said David Benjamin, co-founder and executive director. MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) - A Marquette woman has been sentenced to prison for a fatal crash that happened in October 2020. 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. After a record year for drownings in Lake Michigan in 2020, the number of drownings in the lake and across the Great Lakes waterways are up year over year as of July 4, 2021.