He did not resurface. He has seen people who struggled to put one on after a kayak rolls over, but the lake just tears it away. In 2019, Grand Haven State Park and City Beach posted numbered area signs to help get first responders where they are needed more quickly. We asked if lifeguards would ever come back to South Haven? Dave Benjamin with the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project says hes seen lifeguards save lives in New Buffalo. Drownings on Lake Ontario occurred at popular beaches within a short drive of Toronto. 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. It's made Thunder Bay the highest per capita opioid death rate in Ontario. Let that sink in and now truly understand that water safety is not common sense. But White wants to be able to close it at any time. This summer the beaches may seem more crowded because the water lines are higher and theres literally less beach space. Brock advises parents to teach children what to do if you get in trouble in the water. 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, the release notes. 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. Their swimming endurance may be down, even if their confidence is not, he said. 06/04/2019 Post-Tribune Drowning doesnt look like drowning, says water safety advocatenlike the way its portrayed in movies, drowning is often quiet. Now there are warning signs so people understand the dangers of rip currents.. 06/21/2018 MLIVE 99% of Great Lakes drowning victims werent wearing a life jacket Since 2010, 643 people have drowned in the Great Lakes and all but six of those victims werent wearing a personal flotation device. ODonnell had not been seen since Jan. 22. In 2016, 98 people drowned in the Great Lakes ranging in age from about 9 to 75, according to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, a nonprofit that tracks incidents and spreads awareness. He was wearing a grey hoody with a RED MTN logo of the front of the sweater that is blue, black and grey in color. In the spring of 2012, the GLSRP endorsed Flip, Float, and Follow and have been advocating it to the media and public ever since. 05/30/2019 WWMT Data shows deadly year so far on Great Lakes 751 Great Lakes Drownings since 2010; 11 to date in 2019 GREAT LAKES, USA The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project (GLSRP) announces its current drowning statistics. The body has not yet been identified by the Cook County medical examiners office. The city is also looking into a program to provide the police department with a personal watercraft to store at the beach. Locally, since 2002, there have been 17 related deaths at Lake Michigan beaches from Sheboygan to Kenosha. 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. If you dont know what drowning looks like, youll miss it. 07/26/2019 Fox 17 Lake Michigan drownings up 58% over last year As officials continue to search for a missing father who drowned at Ludington State Park, a group is urging safety on the water this weekend. Of the remaining 32 drowning deaths, 7 have been on Lake Erie, 10 on Lake Ontario, 1 on Lake Huron, and zero on Lake Superior. Its not rocket science. Some people are pretty unhappy about that. Abstract. 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. 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. , M-38 His body was pulled from Montrose Harbor, hours after a person went missing in the water in Chicagos Playpen area of Lake Michigan Wednesday night, according to CPD. In a moment that will not ever be forgotten or dismissed, Bokun began reflecting on what just happened to him. 05/01/2017 infoSuperior Statistics Show Spike in Lake Superior Drownings What if rescuers didnt have to enter the water? Cargo included 70 tons of Montana silver ore, and the "Comet" has been dubbed the only true treasure ship of Lake Superior. What alarmed him most after reading the report was the type of watercraft used by the family. Patrick Tedeski was recovered Aug. 7 from Belmont Harbor. Primer specificity stringency. 06/20/2020 NBC 5 Water Safety Concerns Are on the Rise as More People Head to Area Beaches. Life-saving measures were not enough. Our lakes are immensely powerful, even when placid. 09/23/2020 Chicago Sun-Times Three other people have drowned this year in Monroe Harbor. The family believes that he was wearing a lime green life jacket at the time of the incident. 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. Ingrid Torfa lives between two worlds. 06/06/2018 CBS News of the Day Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project; Lake Michigan Water Safety Presentation in Ogden Dunes June 16th. Air Date: Tuesday, February 28, 2023, 8:00am. They absolutely came in handy, Wright told the paper of the rescue in high winds and choppy water. So, instead of manning the lifeguard station, Swim At Your Own Risk signs will be installed, and the Michigan City Police Department will perform frequent beach patrols, he said. The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project has reported 21 drownings on the Great Lakes this year. 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. 201712/13/2017 Michigan State University Extension, Michigan Sea Grant Great Lakes waves can make lake viewing dangerous Dont get swept away this winter while sightseeing near the Great Lakes. Wear a lifejacket especially while traveling on boats. His companion survived. Eighty percent of drowning victims are male, he said. NBC 5s Regina Waldroup has the remarkable story. 11/24/2017 Petoskey News Preventing people from jumping from the pierheads on Lake Michigan is the best action to take. Lori Chapman, scriptwriter and editor for the video, was in the room for those difficult moments, as well. Great Lakes drownings are just the tip of the iceberg of the nationwide drowning crisis., 09/08/2018 Fox 6 News On track to be the worst year on record: Almost 100 people have drowned in the Great Lakes in 2018. Its the only organization collecting data for all drownings across all of the Great Lakes. Pratt says, wearing one can decrease your risk of drowning. Drowning Data. But with high water levels and erosion leading to smaller beach fronts, many are packing in, leading to increased concern over water safety. Emily MacDonald, F-19, from Columbus, MI. The project wants everyone to learn the drowning survival technique; flip, float and follow. Thats one of our biggest worries. While he was speaking to his wife, they presumed the phone fell into the water and contact was loss. Not only is it very windy but there are a lot of white caps on the lake which is making identifying the white kayak difficult as it blends into the sea state, said Kelley. If you are caught in a rip current, swim parallel to shore. 02/19/2018 WLS 7 Dangerous shelf ice forms along Lake Michigan. Dave Benjamin, co-founder of the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, has used this time to educate the public about the risks involved. Completed - UWinsite Student Disruption on Saturday, Feb 11, from 10 to 11 a.m. 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. Never. 07/08/2020 WGN 720 AM Summer safety: Tips for staying safe around water Dave Benjamin, Co-Founder of the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, joins the Ji Suk Yi show to talk about important swimming safety tips to help you and your kids be safe this summer while in the water. This year is on track to be the worst year on record for the Great Lakes. A total of 96 drownings have been reported on the Great Lakes this year, 33 in Lake Michigan. Flip over onto their back so they can breath when they want to, float to calm themselves down, float to conserve their energy and then follow a safe course back to safety. Add to that the amount of trees and other debris that has washed into the Great Lakes with the high water and becoming another hazard for boaters and swimmers alike, he said. And 2020 had already been a more deadly year on the lakes than 2019. You should immediately throw a flotation device into the water. People drown every year during red flag conditions and every year, the system proves to be a failure. The diver was with a commercial dive group on the boat the Aquatica, operated by Windy City Diving, according to the Coast Guard. Lake Superior State University is celebrating the end of 2020 with the release of their annual 'Banished Words List.' 1 weather alerts 1 closings/delays Watch Now This possibility has been a public health danger for many years, as anyone knows who keeps track of these deaths and near deaths. The Superior Fire Department personnel responded to a call that the body of Samuel was found who was underwater for about 12 hours. The father decided to swim towards the shore with five-year old Annaliese on his back and three-year old Jansen in his arms, yet another fateful decision. The lawmakers' proposal, HB259, comes after 19 inmates died in Utah jails in 2020 matching a record-high in 2016 that made Utah's rate of inmate deaths one of the highest in the country . The officers have new rescue suits and equipment purchased in 2017 through a donation from the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation. A push for safety Saturday was the culmination of a week of water safety events organized by the Safety Around Water (SAW) coalition in partnership with the city, Kenosha Unified School District and the local police and fire departments. 07/30/2019 WTVB Great Lakes drowning deaths are now over 50 so far this year Lake Michigan has the highest rate of drowning occurrences. 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. So far this year, at least 10 other people have drowned in Lake Michigan, according to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. It includes pictures and information the public is getting to see for the first time. You know, weve all been guilty of being a pier jumper. A task force put together after the girls drowning recommended this spring that the Park District extend lifeguard hours, but noted that the district and Chicago Public Schools also are working to expand lifeguard training, because not enough lifeguards are available. 08/01/2019 WWMT Lake Michigan drownings up 80% over last year, 08/01/2019 NBC 25 News Ascension Genesys Health Club explains rip current danger. 7 drownings have taken place on Lake Erie this month, including 5 in Northern Ohio. For those who arent from Michigan, the power of the big lake is often underestimated. Their mother survived. Of the 2021 drownings, 15 occurred in Lake Michigan, compared to 12 a year . Jacob Breault, a rookie lifeguard with Indiana Dunes State Park, says the training will no doubt help him this summer. The spot at East 72nd Street is near where the Gordon Park Fishing Area is located. The Coast Guard recommends you play it safe. 07/31/2020 NWI Times UPDATE: 2 people drown, 1 still missing at Lake Michigan beaches as hazards statements were in effect, 07/31/2020 ABC 57 Recent Lake Michigan drownings reminder of rip current dangers, 07/31/2020 MLIVE Off-duty DNR officer saves swimmer in Lake Superior, 07/31/2020 NWI Times Lake Michigan beaches saw 1 drowning, 2 missing people as hazards statements were in effect. Family/Friends confirmed Herrons BODY WAS RECOVERED 12 MILES OFF SHOREHAM, MI on 09/05/2022when a sailboat captain found the body and contacted authorities at 11:35 a.m. 08/02/2022 MILWAUKEE near the Summerfest grounds around 8 p.m. Martez Holmes M-32, of Milwaukee One relative said he was with friends on a pontoon boat to watch fireworks when he went into the water in the lagoon at Lakeshore State Park, which is adjacent to the Summerfest grounds. The Lake Michigan victims, all of whom drowned on Friday, were a 25-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man in Chicago; and a woman in her 60s in Kenosha, Wisconsin. They teamed up with the sheriffs department, the Coast Guard, and EMS, all ready to save lives. As of late Wednesday, 5,400 [8,500+] people had signed the petition. Parents or guardians of young children should be within an arms reach. And it wont stop them as summer emerges. 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. Public education is the missing piece of the puzzle for water safety, Benjamin said. LAKE MICHIGAN =40 plus 4 critical orunknown condition, Lake Michigan Critical or Unknown Condition = 4, Lake Ontario Critical or Unknown Condition, LAKE MICHIGAN = 46 Plus 6 listed in Critical Condition, LAKE MICHIGAN6LastListed in CRITICAL CONDITION, 2012Great Lakes Drowning Statistics = 99; 260 since 2010, 2011Great Lakes Drowning Statistics = 87; 161 since 2010, 2010Great Lakes Drowning Statistics = 74433, 09/23/2020 MLIVE Lake Michigan Documentary The Deadliest Great Lake, Good Morning AmericaBoater helps rescue toddler stranded on inflatable duck, Inside EditionToddler Sobs as He Drifts Out on Lake Michigan on Giant Duck Float, NBC 5 ChicagoClose Call Caught on Cam on Lake Michigan After Toddler on Inflatable Duck Carried Away by Wind What began as a peaceful day at the lake in Michigan City, Indiana, quickly turned to panic Monday afternoon. Many of these deaths happen when people swimming end up in dangerous currents such as rip or structural-caused currents. Being able to swim is not the same as being able to survive a drowning event, he said. From 2019 to 2020, the estimated age-adjusted death rate increased by 15.9%, from 715.2 to 828.7 deaths per 100,000 population. 04/23/2020 Chicago Tribune Community news: Homewood man named Lifesaver of the Year for drowning prevention efforts Homewood resident Dave Benjamin, cofounder and executive director of the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, has won the 2020 National Drowning Prevention Alliances Lifesaver of the Year award. In her life on the shore of Lake Superior she mingles with fishermen and farmers, quiet folk who keep to themselves. Swimming may not even be the right word for what happened. 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. His body was recovered less than two weeks later. 07/01/2019 Chicago Tribune DNR hosts free events for public to explore Lake Michigan Water Trail Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project was in attendance and set up a tented booth next to the lakeshore to teach children and adults about safety when in the water. In 2019 the GLSRP is tracking 44 Great Lakes drownings; 22 of those in Lake Michigan. Its not like the ocean where there is a lull in the wave. Benjamin said 46 people drowned in Lake Michigan last year, one of the worst years for the lake since the group started tracking drownings in 2010. 08/31/2017 ABC 10 & 13 August Was Deadliest Month So Far on Lake Superior in 2017 Five people drowned in Lake Superior in August, with four drownings in a 2-week span. Witnesses to the incident attempted to revive the child by performing CPR, but the child did not respond. But I also believe those stories will save lives. He had disappeared from a home in Fort William First Nation. The boy is the 16th person to drown in Lake Michigan so far this year, according to Dave Benjamin, executive director of the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. To help educate the public, the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore hosted the first Water Adventure Expo on Saturday. Looking at other beach locations: life rings are credited with saving lives in Grand Haven, Holland and St. Joseph in Michigan, and Gary and Michigan City in Indiana, according to the non-profit Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. 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. They released their latest report Thursday. 08/19/2018 Fox 6 2 killed, 1 in critical condition in separate drownings this weekend; bringing total to 64 across Great Lakes Unfortunately the boy in critical condition died. Keeping in mind three simple steps if you find yourself in dangerous water can be a life saver. Lifeguards make all the difference. Houser and Vlodarchyk studied data up to the end of September for 2010 to 2019, comparing drowning deaths in those years to surf-related drowning deaths to the end of September 2020. However, he soon got into trouble as well. At Tuesdays meeting, several people gave suggestions of limiting the area where swimming is allowed to a shallower depth. With summers arrival on Thursday, June 21, comes plenty of fun on the water, spurring officials, advocacy groups and loved ones of drowning victims to remind those recreating on a boat or kayak to always wear a life jacket. Since drownings happen within minutes, calling 911 to summon help often means first responders end up recovering bodies rather than saving lives. More articles followed in Sports Afield, Out-door Life, Field & Stream, School Arts, and other publications. 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. I wish I wasnt here. Youre in the water and see a swimmer in trouble. Surveying of the water, whether we are open or closed for swimming, is standard operating procedure, Denecke said. 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. This follows 2020, when 56 people drowned in Lake Michigan, setting a new high. I started jogging a little bit to tell Malik to come closer, then I noticed his hand go up, then I started screaming cause I could tell he was in trouble at the time, she said. A final decision on whether to keep the lifeguards on New Buffalo beaches will be made at a public hearing at the end of May. : DFL lawmakers introduce bill, Man arrested in St. Paul double fatal funeral shooting that killed chef, BCA identifies deputies who shot 70-year-old man in northern Minnesota, Friends: Man killed in St. Paul shooting was chef caught in crossfire, Walleye fishing on Mille Lacs Lake open all summer, Alex Murdaugh sentenced in murders of wife, son. And the years not over. MUNSING, Mich. (WLUC) - UPDATE: The body of the second kayaker that died on Lake Superior near Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore was recovered on Friday . Place an Obituary. The group also discussed ideas from staffing beaches with lifeguards to better signage indicating the dangers of swimming in dangerous areas, such as the Pike outlet, as well as flotation devices that could be placed in and around the piers. Lake Superior has been described as " the most . 07/10/2020 NBC 26 Green Bay STURGEON BAY (NBC 26) A non-profit group that tracks drownings on the Great Lakes is warning that the deadly four Ws are in play: Warm, Wind, Waves and Weekend. The waves will pound you, the undertow will grab youyou may scream . Chris Houser, UWindsors dean of science and an expert on rip currents, has co-authored a research paper with Masters student Brent Vlodarchyk that found there were 24 more drowning deaths on the Great Lakes this year than average. Not yet. 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. Theres a huge disconnect. Daniel Saik, 66, of Niagara Falls, Ont., whose body was recovered Aug. 31 along the lake shoreline in Burt. 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. 04/02/2020 NDPA Lifesaver of the Year Award Acceptance Speech, 01/13/2020 Up North Live Army Corps of Engineers: High water levels cause increase in Great Lakes hazards. Of the 2018 drownings, 117 were in Lake Michigan, including six in Northwest Indiana and two in Michigan City. Swimmers need to be protected from those dangers. The month of May would also be declared as Lake Michigan Safety Awareness Month.. When you are struggling in water over your head we recommend you flip over on your back, float and then follow the safest path out of the water, Benjamin said. 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. But according to Mulligan, safety concerns arent what a general management plan is designed to tackle. I wouldnt venture out more than 150 feet in the kayak, Schmidt commented. 10/25/2022 Long Point Around 3:45 p.m. John Doe, M-?, OPP were notified that a body was found in the water near the tip of Long Point while they were doing training exercises. Click on the location of a drowning for additional information. Putting it simply, he says more water means more hazards for people out on the beach. Hawke said it would be great to have the funds to pay for lifeguards. 11ax is more advanced built-in WiFi that can delivers faster internet connection than 802. Two of the boys were Joshua Torres, 10, of Chicago, and Malik Freeman, 14, of Aurora, who were swimming in restricted areas at the same Indiana Dunes State Park beach. 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.