08/26/2018 MLIVE Michigan surfer tells of attempts to save drowned man who was washed off pier One of those attempted rescuers was surfer Ryan Gerard, 40, of St. Joseph. He compares lifejackets to seatbelts; you dont put them on after youre in a crash. The boat was found about two miles offshore, and police say there was no sign of any passengers. I was panicking. 07/16/2019 Toronto Sun 773 drownings in Great Lakes since 2010: Safety group, 07/16/2019 Windsor Star Great Lakes drownings high in number, but often preventable, safety group says, 07/16/2019 Northwest Indiana Times UPDATE: Toddler saved in Lake Michigan by nearby boater after winds carry inflatable, witness says, 07/16/2019 ABC 57 Toddler rescued by bystanders in Michigan City, 07/15/2019 ABC 57 Recent Lake Michigan drownings bring safety into question. 07/08/2018 WBEZ 91.5 Why Do Chicago Beaches Ban Flotation Devices? It may mean theres high wind or high waves or theres no lifeguard on duty.. COVID-19 Research and Innovation Guidance, Pandemic behind increased drownings on Great Lakes beaches, research suggests, Pursue strengths in research and graduate education. 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. One of the main contributors is the stigma when a drowning happens, from a public point of view, people blame the victim, blame the parents or blame it on Darwinism, he said. Weeks earlier, Catherine Winfield Butsch, a 12-year-old girl known as Caty, died after apparently suffering a medical event while swimming near Fort Erie, Ont. 05/04/2018 Holland Sentinel 3. The plan does not, however, include an updated water condition warning system for park visitors. Lifeguards are trained to recognize the signs of drowning, which Benjamin said many people misunderstand. We verified what is true using information from the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, a nonprofit that tracks drowning statistics and trains people in water safety, and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Boat sales have also spiked nationally, according to International Boat Industry magazine, which means there will be a lot of inexperienced first-time boat owners out there, Benjamin said. The stigma surrounding drowning, as well as the lack of industry-backing and scarce funding, also contribute to the epidemic, said Benjamin. Where. Pratt says, wearing one can decrease your risk of drowning. That means there may be bacterial contamination. 07/12/2018 Holland Sentinel Quick Hits: Four thoughts on this weeks news 2. The GLSRP is awaiting updates on these incidences. 11/18/2018 Parents Preventing Childhood Drowning Sunday Survival Story: Swim Near a Lifeguard! So, we always tell people to steer clear from the pier. Sat. 09/11/2020 Chicago Sun-Times Young woman pulled from Lake Michigan in cardiac arrest on South Side First responders pulled her from the water Friday afternoon near 87th Street. The average underwater visibility of Lake Superior is 8.2 meters (27 feet), making it easily the cleanest and clearest of the Great Lakes. 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. The Wisconsin family of five had launched a tandem kayak that afternoon to paddle to an island about 4 miles away, but the kayak capsized. Wrongful death lawsuits, Algae blooms in winter. Weve worked very closely with Northern Michigan University in order to make sure the information gets out to people, especially those new to the area, about the dangers of the lake, the dangers of certain areas within the city limits where people swim, said Marquette City Manager Mike Angeli. 06/11/2017 PR Drownings continue to rise Lake Michigan leading the statistics Hot weekend, strong south winds can cause hazards Especially with beach toys GREAT LAKES, USA The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project (GLSRP) announces its current drowning statistics. Benjamin calls drownings a public health crisis. Ten of those were in Lake Michigan. Drowning is swift, it doesnt look the way Hollywood portrays it, said Benjamin. Primer specificity stringency. Drowning was the reported cause of death in 80 percent of recreational boating fatalities in 2016, according to the U.S. Coast Guard and 83 percent of who drowned were not wearing a life jacket. While some news outlets are claiming Lake Michigan saw fewer drowning deaths this past summer season than in 2016, Dave Benjamin, executive director of public relations and project management for Great Lakes Surf and Rescue Project, says people need to look at the big picture, not just during peak swimming months. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Piden tomar precauciones al entrar al agua. 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]. When someone gets in trouble in the water, they have a panic attack. Three bodies found in the lake this year are not yet confirmed as drownings, said David Benjamin, executive director of the safety group. He was reported to be in the water, yelling for help and struggling to stay afloat. The announcement will include comments from National Drowning Prevention Alliance Lifesaver of the Year award winners Bob Pratt, of East Lansing, Michigan; Melissa Zirkle, of Ashtabula, Ohio; and John and Kathy Kocher, of Tinley Park. The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project will talk about water safety during a meeting at 5:30 p.m. Monday at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 2050 W. 1100 North in Chesterton. It was one of four drownings in 2018, putting officials under pressure to do something. You know, weve all been guilty of being a pier jumper. 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 . Last year in 2020, there was a total of 108 Great Lakes drownings in 2021 reported. Panic can trigger a set of physical symptoms like shortness of breath and tightness in the chest that can actually work against survival. 07/05/2018 Pioneer Press Water recreation can be fun, but also dangerous FRANKFORT While people turn to the water to get relief from the summer heat, it can also be dangerous, especially on Lake Michigan. A green flag means there are no swim restrictions, and the water quality is good. 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. I wouldnt venture out more than 150 feet in the kayak, Schmidt commented. Our lakes are immensely powerful, even when placid. 11ax is more advanced built-in WiFi that can delivers faster internet connection than 802. 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. 09/03/2020 NBC 5 Body Recovered From Monroe Harbor Four Days Into Search For Missing Boater The body is believed to be that of a 32-year-old man who fell off a boat Sunday evening in the harbor near the 400 block of East Monroe Street, police said. No drownings were reported in Lake Superior, according to the GLSRP. Benjamin said part of the training process is explaining the signs of a potential drowning victim and how to identify a potential victim. 06/20/2020 NBC 5 Water Safety Concerns Are on the Rise as More People Head to Area Beaches. 07/17/2019 North Cook News GLENCOE PARK DISTRICT: Glencoe Park District launched Beach S.A.F.E. Grief Support. There were 298 drownings on Lake Michigan since 2010 making up about 46 percent of total drownings on the Great Lakes in the past eight years. Benjamin says the average cost per hour for a U.S. Coast Guard response boat is about $4,500. Read more .2016. Thats why you need a survival strategy. Deaths: 10. When a swimmer gets in trouble, theres typically less than one minute until final submersion, he said. That day, Bokun returned to the familys rented home near Spencer, Tennessee, joining his wife, his daughter, Alissa Baron, and other family members. 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. 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. Twenty-two of those were in Lake Michigan. The beach also plans to have kayak and paddleboard rentals. 09/29/2020 Parent Security #childsafetytips | Lake Michigan communities and drowning Does your coastal town have a lifeguard on duty? If were looking at the beach here in Michigan City, Indiana, theres a lot less beach here than there was last year. 08/19/2020 Detroit Free Press 60 people have drowned in Great Lakes this year: How to stay safe For years, the GLSRP has argued the flag system doesnt work. Fell into the lake and swept away by waves. The drowning of a 13-year-old girl last summer 30 minutes after lifeguards had ended their shift at Loyola Beach prompted the Park District to plant a red flag at all beach locations when lifeguards were not on duty. Great Lakes CoastWatch is a nationwide National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) program within which the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) functions as the Great Lakes regional node. Their backs are to the water, so it could be lifeguards serving as social distance ambassadors, but theyre not lifeguarding, Quezada said. Most peoples experiences with lifeguards are at swimming pools, but a beach like Lake Michigan is far more challenging and requires a completely different skill set, Pratt said. At the Common Council meeting earlier this week, Zondlak thanked aldermen for approving Mayor John Antaramians amended proposal authorizing four of six planned kiosk installations. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Lake Superior, Canada side, the Comet. The meme was largely accurate in terms of the size of Lake Superior, and it wasn . (Note: * = (+/-) Awaiting 100% confirmation of drowning.) The city hasnt made a final decision about the lifeguard program. We start making a lot of mistakes and thats why we start to hyperventilate.. Exhausted and hysterical, she screamed, My babies, where are my babies?, Mews texted her brother, Coast Guard found me a half hour ago. Higher water levels, smaller beaches, more people on the beach, its easy to lose track of your children on a crowded beach. The flash of memories. 06/06/2017 MLIVE 5 Lake Michigan beaches could have dangerous conditions today There have been 20 drownings in the Great Lakes already this year, including 12 deaths in Lake Michigan, according to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project tracker. To date, the GLSRP is tracking 20 Great Lakes drownings in 2020. And on a stand-up paddle board, he says, attach the leash to your ankle, which helps you to retrieve the board after you fall off. Thats because the bodys instant response to cold water is to gasp. The project is being headed by the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, with Lifeguards out of Whiting, Chesterton, and Michigan City. Sit-on-top kayak is more of an ocean kayak, warm water kayak, interior lake kayak, or very near shore kayak. Published: Sep. 17, 2021 at 11:14 AM PDT. 09/07/2018 CBS 58 Beyond a nightmare: Mother whose son drowned in 2013 calling for change after Kenosha teen drowns. The film also features NDPA Community Lifesaver Award winner Dave Benjamin, of Homewood, and drowning survivors Evelyn Hernandez, of Chicago, and Jamie Racklyeft, of Ann Arbor. Do the opposite of your instincts. 11/17/2019 Valliant News Michigan mission: Reduce drownings Nonprofit groups, such as the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, have been teaching school children of all ages about water safety and what to do in the event of a potential drowning. Director Dave Benjamin acknowledges the threat posed by meteotsunamis, but he said only one-third of the drownings in the region are caused by dangerous waves or currents. There are also another 5 outcomes who are unknown on the other lakes. Seconds count. According to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, there have already been at least five Great Lakes drownings this year, with three of them in Lake Michigan. 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.