It wasnt clear if the kids were swimming or had fallen in. The week included presentations about water safety by David Benjamin from the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project at Unified high schools and middle schools. 07/28/2020 Traverse City Record Eagle Torch Lake death adds to list of water-related fatalities 07/26/2020 Richard Church, M-57, 07/27/2020 WTTW 11 CHICAGO TONIGHT With Beaches Closed, Experts Warn of Increased Risk for Drowning. Guests: Dave Benjamin, Executive Director, The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project and Melissa Zirkle, Great Lakes Safety Advocate, 08/28/2018 CBC News Great Lakes swimmers ignoring warnings to stay out of the water, report says 73 people have drowned in the Great Lakes this year. 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. 09/02/2022 LAKEWOOD, OH Adam J. Schwertner, M-38, Olmsted Falls Schwertner, was reported missing to Westlake police on Sept. 2. 04/11/2018 Detroit Free Press Michigan beach town of New Buffalo axing its lifeguards, despite drownings The city of New Buffalo wants to eliminate its dozen life guards due to liability, said city manager David Richards. Its likely been several months since most people have been to the beach, so swimming endurance may be low and cold water will incapacitate swimming ability. If a lifeguard has a bad day, someone might lose their life.. 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. Knowing how to swim is not enough. Males are more likely to take risks, more susceptible to peer pressure, more likely to overestimate their ability, he said. They give the impression that they are able to protect people when they go into the water and thats not the case, said David Richards, city manager. 10/10/2018 CBC Why are so many more people drowning in the Great Lakes? Wooden tug. 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. 10/02/2020 Great Lakes Commission Lake Michigan drownings surge to new high in 2020 Drownings in Lake Michigan have reached record levels with at least 53 people dead so far this year, according to the water safety advocacy group the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. Were utilizing our social media pages to post conditions. Knowing how to swim doesnt mean you wont drown, Benjamin said. 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. 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. It was a simple solution that became very complex. 04/30/2018 rockthelake.com Why you should wear your lifejacket if you paddle this spring: safety tips for chilly Lake Erie. 06/22/2020 ABC 57 Man sacrifices life to rescue 8-year-old drowning in Saint Joseph River We see someone in trouble and we immediately want to help, its our instinct to just take action, said Dave Benjamin from Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. 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. WATCH: Newsviews Part 1 & 2. 05/23/2019 Chicago Tribune Going to the beach can be dangerous. Each summer, tourists and locals in Michigan flock to beaches to cool off in the water. Schools with pools teach children water safety, but that should happen at all schools, Benjamin said. Luckily I survived. Even with lifeguards at many beaches, the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project expects to see an increase in drownings this summer. This is Michigan Lakes highest death count this time of year since 2012. Drowning is a huge, huge problem. That was the sobering message Barker Middle School students received at the beach this week via Bob Pratt, the executive director of education for the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. The stigma surrounding drowning, as well as the lack of industry-backing and scarce funding, also contribute to the epidemic, said Benjamin. While the water provides plenty of great opportunities for fun, it is important to take precautions and be safe because summer fun can turn to tragedy quickly. Find an Obituary. 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. To sign up and view a copy of the management plan, visit michigan.gov/holland. Many people underestimate the dangers that come with the windy, unpredictable local conditions on the Great Lakes, says Dave Benjamin, a safety advocate who heads the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. Eighty-eight people drowned in the Great Lakes last year, and 73 to date in 2018, with 26 of the 73 in Lake Erie, according to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. But White is resistant to that idea. Thatcher knew how to respond if he gets in trouble in the water. 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. According to GLSRP data, overall since 2010 they have tracked 858 Great Lakes drownings. Officials said he jumped into the lake off the pier and didnt resurface. Also included in the initiatives is a new flag pole to display warning flags, extra rigging rope and life rings to throw to those in distress, water rescue goggles for emergency personnel, and a safety message that will be playing on loop on AM 1700. . Surveying of the water, whether we are open or closed for swimming, is standard operating procedure, Denecke said. 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. A water safety nonprofit group has found that the number of drownings decreased this swim season on Lake Michigan compared with last year. Lifeguards make sense Common sense and financial sense, Benjamin said. The report states that so far in 2018 there have been 105 drownings. In September 2016, Tyler, 21, went kayaking without a life jacket in Lake Michigan and never returned. The diver was with a commercial dive group on the boat the Aquatica, operated by Windy City Diving, according to the Coast Guard. 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. Maybe they sailed into a deck-tilting squall, or were wrapped in fog amid shipping lanes with 1,000-foot freighters, or hoped that a barely submerged . National Drowning Prevention Alliance Lifesaver of the Year Award 2012 & 2020 Community Lifesaver Award 2016 & 2018, 45 of those in Lake Michigan (+6 unknown), (Last updated 12/31/2022, 11:59 p.m. CST), 74 drownings in 201088 in 201199 in 201267 in 201354 in 201455 in 201599 in 201688 in 2017117 in 201897in 2019108 in 2020101 in 2021108 to date in 20221,156 since 2010, 2022 = 108 (+12 unknown final outcome)Lake Michigan = 45 (+6 unknown final outcome or Cause of death)Lake Superior = 6Lake Huron = 12 (+1 unknown final outcome)Lake Erie = 24 (+4 unknown final outcome or cause of death)Lake Ontario = 21 (+1 unknown cause of death), LAKE MICHIGAN = 45 (+6 Unknown Condition or unknown cause of death), 07/12/2022 GARY, IN MARQUETTE PARK SWIMMING WAVES 2 TO 4 Tianna Hatten, F-9 Visitors were able to pull one of the girls from the water at Garys Marquette Beach but the other remained underwater until a Lake County Sheriffs Department helicopter located her in the water and directed responders to her location. One of the biggest objections to having lifeguards, is that theres no funding, Benjamin added. If were looking at the beach here in Michigan City, Indiana, theres a lot less beach here than there was last year. 7 drownings have taken place on Lake Erie this month, including 5 in Northern Ohio. 04/12/2018 Peter Carey Speaks outat New Buffalo at City Council Meeting to oppose the termination of the beach lifeguards. The beach had a red flag Sunday morning because 3-4 feet waves were expected, and swimming was not advised. A mayday was called and divers on the boat were able to locate the man and get him on-board. 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. This year, more people have drowned in Lake Michigan than the other Great Lakes combined. Emily MacDonald, F-19, from Columbus, MI. But it is unclear if a lifeguard would have made a difference in Sareyis drowning. He cited the cost of the body recovery for the U.S. Coast Guard, county dive teams, police departments, and fire departments, as well as the overtime and fuel for the helicopter and boats used in the recovery. He and Houser believe the pandemic is responsible for the increased drownings because the increase could not be attributed to the warm summer weather this year. Gerard was at the Frankfort beach enjoying the day with his family, riding the cascading waves and stopping for breaks between sets. The . 05/14/2017 PR Michigan City Students Heading to the Beach this week for Lake Michigan Water Safety Presentations The GLSRP is partnering with the City of Michigan City, the Michigan City Fire Department, and Michigan City Parks and Recreation Department lifeguards to perform Lake Michigan water safety presentations for Barker Middle School students. This summer the beaches may seem more crowded because the water lines are higher and theres literally less beach space. The mayor said Thursday that it worked out for city finances that only one lifeguard application has been submitted this year, as the city typically spends $130,000 per summer on lifeguard wages. During the entire week of spring break, Kenoshas YMCA is offering free swim safety lessons. In our opinion, drowning should be treated like a public health issue, he said. We need lifeguards at Washington Park.. Paul Jarosik, 38, of Schererville, is on trial this week for the April 2, 2020 murder of Michelle Brown, 46, before Lake Superior Judge Samuel Cappas in Crown Point. 05/11/2017 Laporte County Life City of Michigan City Shares Swimming Safety Tips making their beaches SAFER! 07/05/2018 Kenosha News Another tragedy too easily avoided Its happened again someone has drowned in Lake Michigan. And now consider how often you play in water. Follow. Eric Fryman, 39, his two daughters, Kyra, 9, and Annaliese, 5, as well as his 3-year-old son, Jansen, drowned. What were not happy to share is the danger that comes with swimming in the Great Lakes. In a moment that will not ever be forgotten or dismissed, Bokun began reflecting on what just happened to him. There is a lot of regret., 11/10/2017 Green Bay Press Gazette Blaming drowning victims is stupid, cruel. 07/12/2018 Holland Sentinel Quick Hits: Four thoughts on this weeks news 2. 04/04/2018 Journal Review Water safety group to debut public safety announcement today via Facebook Live, 03/30/2018 The Herald Argus Flip, float and follow Surf Rescue educator gives advice for surviving in rough water, 03/29/2018 The News Dispatch Bob Pratt, executive director of education at the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, spent the past week providing water safety education to Michigan City Area Schools students, and opened each of their 16 different presentations with the quiz [which ended with, What do you do if you are drowning?. Its not about you, and what answers you want to get, its about them telling their story.. 04/12/2018 Dave Benjaminspeaks outat New Buffalo City Council Meeting Lifeguards save lives, are an asset, are first responders. As Coronavirus cabin fever mixes with summer excitment, many people want to get out and jump in the pool or lake. When a swimmer gets in trouble, theres typically less than one minute until final submersion, he said. Malik was to turn 15 next week. But we didnt know exactly how tight we were going to be. 3. Superior is the coldest, deepest, and highest in elevation of any of the Great Lakes. 08/22/2018 ABC 5 News Cleveland A 16-year-old in critical condition after nearly drowning in Lake Erie; Lake Erie leads the Great Lakes in 2018 drownings with 25. 04/19/2014 CBS 2 Chicago Lake Michigan Drownings Spike In 2016 The number of drownings in Lake Michigan spiked 84 percent in 2016, compared with the previous year, according to a water safety advocacy group. So much of our lakefront is right up to residences where kids have access to these parks and to the beaches and to the water and were doing nothing to protect them, said Halle Quezada of Chicago Alliance for Water Safety. Float to conserve your energy. Shortly after 6:45 p.m., emergency crews found the body of the missing person in the water close to the marina. 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. The presentation will cover water safety, pier safety, rip currents and life rings. But I also believe those stories will save lives. It was a deadly weekend on the Great Lakes, according to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, an organization that tracks drownings on the Great Lakes. It doesnt do you any good if your life jacket just sits in the boat. The kayak was self-draining, with holes in the bottom that shouldve kept it afloat. A water safety school curriculum needs to be mandated and funded in the Great Lakes region as well as nationwide. The parents tried placing the other two children on top of the kayak, but they kept slipping off. Stay with any boat that overturned; its buoyant. 02/19/2018 NWI Times UPDATE: Flood warnings issued for Little Cal at Munster, Kankakee River Despite the warm-up, shelf ice remained along the Lake Michigan shoreline, prompting a warning Monday from the nonprofit Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. Theyll explain. 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. He hopes the effort will span to all Michigan beaches. Southernly winds blowing this weekend can cause offshore wind conditions for Indiana, side-offshore winds for northern Illinois, southwest Wisconsin, and southeast Michigan. : 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. Nugent died Aug. 22 at MetroHealth Medical Center after getting caught in dangerous waves the day before at Walnut Beach. In a pool you have 100 percent visibility, warm water, consistent water depths and [the pool is a contained area]. I know he positively impacted so many during his short time on campus and losing him is going to be difficult.. 1888. The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project said 29 people have drowned in Lake Michigan so far this year. GLSRP is a non-profit group that tracks drowning statistics and performs presentations and training around the Midwest. Unfortunately, a drowning person can climb all over you, and a drowning person can take you under, Benjamin said. If you go to a beach without lifeguards, you are on your own, he said. She texted her sister and brother: 911, Michigan Island, kayak tipped. The messages didnt go through until nearly four hours later. The township took action, James Schmidt said. 05/04/2018 Holland Sentinel 3. A person who is drowning will usually be facing shore, their mouth will be at water level and may have their head tipped back. 09/21/2017 The News Dispatch Surfing documentary to be held at Fire & Water MICHIGAN CITY A showing of Southend: The Place Where I Go Surfing, will be held at Fire & Water, 6 on the Lake, Michigan City (in Washington Park), on Friday at 6 p.m. A reception will be held at 5:30 p.m., and a question and answer session will be held at 7:10 p.m. 09/20/2017 On Milwaukee Our dear Lake Michigan is the deadliest of the Great Lakes [NOTE: The drowning stats listed in this article are outdated at 537 Great Lakes Drownings since 2010. Pay attention to red flag days, where it is not safe to enter the water; bring along flotation devices in case you tire while in the water; and, most importantly, watch out for one another. However, he soon got into trouble as well. I was panicking. Since 2010 there have been more than 843 drownings in the Great Lakes, and for the 2020 swim season several factors could lead to a deadly summer, Benjamin said. The boat was found about two miles offshore, and police say there was no sign of any passengers. He was taken to a local hospital and then airlifted to a Chicago hospital where he was pronounced dead. All these hazards are leading right into Memorial weekend, Benjamin said. 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. Males overestimate it by about 50 percent.. For the victim, Benjamin said, panic is the first stage of drowning. This isnt just a little gasp, like the kind youd experience if somebody jumped out of a closet and scared you, says the National Center for Cold Water Safety. Weve made a pretty good effort to try and deal with it, Angeli added. 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. Its the only organization collecting data for all drownings across all of the Great Lakes. CHAPLEAU, ONTARIO ~~~~~~ February 5, 2021 (LSN) On January 30, 2021, at approximately 6:30 a.m., members of the Superior East Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to a residence where a 35-year-old person was found unresponsive and was later pronounced deceased. Its the only place they could cool off, and we should have had lifeguards here. When youre panicking, its an emotional and an irrational response to the situation. He was pulled from the water, taken to the hospital and died. It could be a matter of a few weeks depending on the complexity of the situation. Drowning is one of the leading causes of accidental death, particularly for children and particularly for males, in the nation and the world, he said. Granted, some fell from shore rather than a boat. 06/11/2017 CBS Chicago At least three people drowned in Lake Michigan this weekend, including a woman pulled from the water near Loyola Beach on Saturday, prompting a warning about the dangers of swimming when the water is still dangerously cold. The man was also wearing jeans and black hiking-style running shoes/boots. 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 . Full statistics here. Theres this thing called the stigma of drowning, Benjamin said. According to statistics from the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, a water safety advocacy organization, Lake Michigan claimed 291 lives between 2010 and 2017. In addition to the confirmed drownings, there are an additional 3 drowning incidents where the victims were last listed as Critical Condition, Unknown Condition, Serious Condition, or Missing. 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. Travel around the lake by land or water, Lake Superior is 350 miles long by 160 miles wide with a total surface area of 31,700 square miles, much of it accessible for your enjoyment. Its just bullet-pointed information that is not being delivered, he said. 07/22/2022 RIPLEY, NY FISHING NO LIFE JACKET Fred Forsythe Jr, M-70 The body of a charter boat captain who fell into the waters of Lake Erie earlier this month have been recovered. Wasserman said there have not been lifeguards at McKinley Beach for more than a decade. Lifeguards are first responders and just as important as police and firefighters, he said Were a huge advocate for lifeguards. 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. Dave Benjamin, executive director of the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, has been pushing for communities to use lifeguards on Great Lakes beaches. 07/31/2017 The Journal Times Drowned teens life goal was to help people Water Safety Tips: Only one third of drownings that occur are due to dangerous currents, according to Dave Benjamin Executive Director of Public Relations for the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, a non-profit based in Illinois that educates school children about the dangers of water. The surfer recalled the accident and its heartbreaking aftermath in a long post published on his companys Facebook page. Those include coronavirus cabin fever; public pools being closed, cold lake water, high water levels, beach erosion and debris in the lake. 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). The expo event was inspired by, Tyler Spink. A good Samaritan jumped in the water and saved the children and had a life ring thrown out to them before the Coast Guard arrived on scene. 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. A person easily can fall into hidden holes in shelf ice, with little chance of climbing out. Swimmers who find themselves in trouble should follow the drowning survival strategy of flip, float and follow flipping on their back to stay calm, floating to conserve energy and following the safest path out of the water which often means swimming parallel to the shore when caught in a rip current.