Last year was the deadliest on the Great Lakes since the GLSRP began tracking drownings in 2010. In November of that same year, she went to the Port Sheldon Township Board and pleaded for warning signs and other safety equipment. On Thursday morning, Glaves boat, a white-colored 21-foot Striper with a black-colored canopy, was found by a passerby on the other side of Lake Erie along a rocky stretch of shore in Madison Township, Ohio. Then, either swim perpendicular to the flow until reaching safety, or continue floating and try to signal for help if too tired to swim. Its obvious how dangerous Lake Michigan can be. Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area, contains 10% of the worlds freshwater, and covers an area of 31,700 sq mi (82,000 km sq). 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. Indiana conservation officials credited Myles Wright and Devin Newton with saving two young girls from drowning, the News Dispatch reported. Its not rocket science. The kayakers were reported missing Thursday evening at Michigan . 05/24/2019 The News Dispatch Lake safety part of curriculum Lake Michigan can be dangerous After the deadliest year on the Great Lakes in 2018, the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project is reminding swimmers and beach-goers to be safe when in or near the water. If you saw someone drowning, you would look for a throw ring., A life ring gives the opportunity to save a life or rescue a person, where a sign just wont do that, Costabile said. Benjamin said its time for Holland State Park to hire lifeguards. The problem was the way the weight was distributed. Brock advises parents to teach children what to do if you get in trouble in the water. Although the council voted to keep the lifeguards this summer, it will revisit the discussion in the fall to determine if the program will continue in the future. 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. We need a water safety school curriculum to save future generations from drowning. Carl F. Hazel, 66, of Albion, who was on a fishing boat that sank Aug. 25 about 9 miles off of the Orleans County shore. Signs at the park advise visitors to swim at their own risk. 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. 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. Julia Fello has the story, 09/09/2018 The Herald Argus Stay out of the water Beach hazard issued with high waves, rip currents expected, 09/08/2018 The News Dispatch Stay out of the water Beach hazard issued with high waves, rip currents expected I hoped the Great Lakes drownings would subside after the 13 Labor Day weekend fatalities, but it doesnt look like its going to slow down any time soon, said Dave Benjamin, executive director of the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. If someone is drowning, they can find the life ring on the pier. said Dave Benjamin, executive director of the organization. 08/11/2020 Chicago Sun-Times Body pulled from Belmont Harbor identified as teen who went missing in Lake Michigan. 02/17/2018 MDJ Online Teaching others to swim safely Benjamins life changed forever Dec. 26, 2010, when he had a nonfatal drowning accident. I didnt know that panic is the first stage of drowning. Drowning is a public health issue, and its not treated like a public health issue., We call it the flip, float and follow, Benjamin said, comparing it to the advice for if clothes catch fire. According to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, there were 97 drownings on the Great Lakes last year. Ive hosted benefits and fundraisers many times before so I offered to host a benefit, she said. And when the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the city in mid-March, the lifeguard issue fell off his radar. 07/25/2022 PORT BURWELL, ONT. He was to be a sophomore at Waubonsie Valley High School in High School in Aurora.He was so much fun and he was so protective of me, you couldnt ask for a better kid, his heart was so pure, Freeman said. Sympathy Ideas. The flag system is absolutely not enough, said Executive Director Dave Benjamin. 06/05/2017 Fox News Chicago Whiting Open Water Surf Lifeguard In-service Training. Three bodies found in the lake this year are not yet confirmed as drownings, said David Benjamin, executive director of the safety group. Theyll explain. Stay Safe. She texted her sister and brother: 911, Michigan Island, kayak tipped. The messages didnt go through until nearly four hours later. 08/17/2020 Click on Detroit Swimming advisories extended for parts of Lake Michigan, 08/17/2020 Herald Dispatch One dead, several rescued from choppy waters of Lake Michigan PORTAGE Though the National Weather Service had issued beach warnings along the Lake Michigan shoreline, area beaches were packed this weekend, keeping first responders busy with emergency calls. While that is a step in the right direction, one life lost to drowning is too many. Malik, who his mother said was a good swimmer and knew the dangers of rip tides, was pulled out of the water a short time later. Those include coronavirus cabin fever; public pools being closed, cold lake water, high water levels, beach erosion and debris in the lake. A capsized catamaran-style boat in was spotted in Lake Michigan near East Chicago shortly after 10:30 a.m. Monday. Reported that CPR was given by Coast Guard and taken to Evanston from Wilmette Harbor. I wouldnt venture out more than 150 feet in the kayak, Schmidt commented. 09/07/2020 NWI Times Indiana teens body recovered from Lake Michigan, DNR says, 09/09/2020 NWI Times Search continues for boater after he fell overboard near Hammond Marina, 09/07/2020 WNDU Southwest Michigan shorelines see high swim risk on Labor Day, 09/07/2020 WZZM Stay out of the water, Dangerous swim conditions on Lake Michigan, 09/06/2020 The Holland Sentinel My Take: Lifeguards at Lake Michigan would make all the difference, 09/05/2020 WZZM 3 water rescues reported near South Haven on Lake Michigan. The family will probably never know how many people read the signs and heeded the warnings. There have been 43 drowning deaths in the Great Lakes so far in 2020, according to Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. In August, a general management plan for the future of Holland State Park was released to the public. Winds are the primary source of the dangerous currents on the Great Lakes, said Dave Benjamin, GLSRP Executive Director. Or how many lives may have been saved. He had disappeared from a home in Fort William First Nation. Knowing how to swim doesnt mean you wont drown, Benjamin said. The week of education programs was part of a larger series of initiatives to improve safety at the lakefront, including larger warning signs, throw bags for police squad cars and the installation of life ring kiosks at areas where there are dangerous currents, including near the mouth of the Pike River and at the North Pier. . Perhaps its time the state also puts money into lifeguards that keep those families safe once they make their way to Michigan beaches. They teamed up with the sheriffs department, the Coast Guard, and EMS, all ready to save lives. 2020 Lake Superior Publishing LLC. This happened to an Indiana couple in 2012 and to Chicago kids in 1988. At around 4 minutes, irreversible brain damage begins. Its always cold, so thats a concern, he said. A cargo and passenger steam ship that suffered a number of maritime accidents before its final wreck into the Manitoba in Whirefish Bay. Drownings are 100% preventable, and we are committed to preventing all drownings in the City of Michigan City and adjacent communities. 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. 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. 08/27/2018 The Star Beacon ASHTABULA A memorial fundraising dinner has been scheduled to help the family of 16-year-old drowning victim Micah Nugent with funeral expenses. It is the biggest lake in the world (by surface area), so it will come as no surprise that it has been nicknamed "The Freshwater Sea.". What about a life ring or water safety classes and other measures to help educate or offer resources to prevent drownings? Heres how to stay safe in Lake Michigan this summer. Thats according to a tally by the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, a nonprofit water safety group that keeps a comprehensive database of Great Lakes drownings. And the years not over. Weve talked about defining a swim area that would be no farther than 4-feet deep and move it away from the pier, White said. In our opinion, drowning should be treated like a public health issue, he said. Their swimming endurance may be down, even if their confidence is not, he 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. 06/03/2019 TMJ4 Life rings finally up on Kenoshas north pier 6 years after Lake Mills mom lost her son, 05/31/2019 Northwest Indiana Times Lake Michigan claims 7 lives already this year; good swimmers not immune, expert says, 05/30/2019 WTTW Chicago Chanel 11 Beach Season is Here, and Water Safety Advocates Say Theyre Worried, 05/30/2019 WKZO A deadly year so far in the Great Lakes. The seven local drownings in 2018 and two others with local connections make up whats also been among the deadliest years throughout the Great Lakes. Of the 2018 drownings, 117 were in Lake Michigan, including six in Northwest Indiana and two in Michigan City. 08/24/2018 WKYC 16-year-old swimmer drowns at Ashtabulas Walnut Beach; 26 Lake Erie fatalities this year. Experts say too often swimmers overestimate their abilities and underestimate dangerous conditions. No time frame has been set for completing bathymetric contours of Lake Superior, though a 3 arc-second (~90 meter cell size) grid is available. 07/02/2020 Wood TV Family hopes memorial plaque reminds swimmers of Lake Michigan dangers. Listed as an accidental drowning. Time matters in a drowning incident.. The lifeguards, officials said, are in place for a reason: Lake Michigan can be dangerous and unpredictable. In addition, check local sandbar formations. 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. For 2016, we had almost the highest number of fatalities and a lot of those came from paddle boarders or kayakers.. The key is not panicking. According to statistics from the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, more people drown in Lake Michigan each year than any of the other Great Lakes. Through July 31, 2019, there were 52 Great Lakes drownings, with 27 of those occurring in Lake Michigan, making 2019 a 80% increase through the start of August. 08/08/2017 Detroit Free Press Illinois boy, 4, dies days after being pulled from Lake Michigan 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. Its for this reason that after Martins death, the city checked the beachs condition each morning to see if it was safe to open. Dave Benjamin, executive director of public relations and project management at GLSRP, said he was aware of three other likely drownings in the last several days, including a father and son who capsized in Lake Erie and a body that was recovered from Lake Michigan in Chicago. Since 2010, the organization has tracked 843 Great Lakes drownings, with 97 in 2019 and a record 117 in 2018. We train harder than professional athletes in many cases. This could be a result of whats being referred to as COVID fatigue. When youre panicking, its an emotional and an irrational response to the situation. He said the most important aspect of what he learned was that floating is the key to survival.. And expressed frustration that cities dont make water safety more of a priority. 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! . Being able to swim is not the same as being able to survive a drowning event, he said. Stay with any boat that overturned; its buoyant. Benjamin calls drownings a public health crisis. This summer the beaches may seem more crowded because the water lines are higher and theres literally less beach space. 07/16/2020 Chicago Sun-Times John Doe, M-?, Swimmer dies after going underwater for 40 minutes in Lake Michigan at Promontory Point. Office Party Entertainment Ideas in Denver Colorado . Cliff Schmidt is a marine investigator with nearly 40 years experience and a former deputy with the Hennepin County Sheriffs Department. 06/20/2020 ABC 7 Lake Michigan lifeguards emphasize water safety on 1st day of Summer to prevent unintentional drownings. The U.S. Coast Guard and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources both recommend people wear life jackets when going into the lake. When people panic, they exhale more, and they deflate their lungs and lower their natural buoyancy. 08/27/2019 The Weather Channel Lake Michigans Deadly Waves Prompt Warnings for Swimmers and Boaters in Illinois and Michigan, 08/26/2019 Univision Revelan alarmantes cifras de muertes por ahogamiento en el lago Michigan Segn datos de Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, una organizacin que monitorea accidentes. 05/11/2017 Laporte County Life City of Michigan City Shares Swimming Safety Tips making their beaches SAFER! The report states that so far in 2018 there have been 105 drownings. The annual age-adjusted drowning death rate in the United States during 2016-2020 was 1.28 deaths per 100,000 people (including boating-related drowning deaths). But the experience has somehow changed him. Search United States obituaries and condolences, hosted by Echovita.com. and windy days. Our lakefront is a deceptively dangerous place to swim. Our visitors have come to expect lifeguards at Washington Park. The average elevation of Lake Superior is about 183 meters (600 feet) above sea level. If (LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers star forward) has a bad day, he might not win the game. 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. In that moment, as I yelled out, I felt a peaceful calm come over me, Bokun recalled. Police said shortly before 7 p.m., Wednesday, their marine unit responded to a report that a person fell off a boat in the Playpen near the Jardine Water filtration plant, was pulled back on the boat. Floating means getting your head above water, becoming more buoyant, and taking deep breaths of air instead of short gulps of water while hyperventilating during a panic attack. Search Wisconsin Obituaries. The GLSRP recorded 117 in 2018, 07/26/2019 Cleveland 19 Officials warning swimmers of dangers in Lake Erie; 2019 could set record for drownings, 07/26/2019 WZZM ABC 13 NWS warns beachgoers of dangerous swimming conditions Saturday We strongly advise NOT going into the water., 07/26/2019 Detroit News Beware boaters and swimmers: High winds on Great Lakes this weekend Dave Benjamin, executive director of public relations and project management for the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, said looking at the warm weekend, southerly winds can cause offshore wind conditions for southeast Michigan. Ahmad Z. Adl, 34, was part of a group of five people who were camping at Harrington Beach State Park in Ozaukee County on Aug. 20 when they decided to go swimming about 1 p.m. A search was launched for Adl when he didnt return to shore. For those who arent from Michigan, the power of the big lake is often underestimated. 04/12/2018 WNDU New Buffalo City Council debates removal of lifeguards from budget City leaders say they are simply not equipped to have well-trained lifeguards on duty at the New Buffalo beach. 07/30/2019 CBS 2 Chicago Threat Of Dangerous Waves, Currents Prompts Warning About Beach Hazards, 07/30/2019 Holland Sentinel Police: Being a hero isnt always the safest bet during water rescues. In all, 99 people have died so far in 2018 on the Great Lakes, tying 2012 and 2016 for the highest number of deaths on record, data from the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project shows. Most public swimming pools will be closed due to COVID-19 concerns and other entertainment options such as fairs and festivals are getting canceled for the summer season. All in a matter of seconds. 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. In this most recent drowning, a 10-year-old girl was swimming near the area where the Pike River meets the lake Saturday evening when she began having trouble in the water. Heres what to know before going for a swim, 07/22/2019 WNDU Warnings of Lake Michigan dangers come after swimming deaths, 07/22/2019 ABC 57 Mother creates petition to bring lifeguards back to South Haven, 07/22/2019 CBS 2 Chicago Lake Michigan Drownings Continue Despite Warnings, 07/22/2019 CBS 2 Chicago Chicago Weather: Beach Hazard Statement, Small Craft Advisory For Lake Michigan, 07/22/2019 Northwest Indiana Times UPDATE: Five fatal drownings at Lake Michigan beaches in the Region this year, officials say, 07/22/2019 ABC 57 An area lifeguard takes to Facebook to strongly warn of dangerous swimming, 07/21/2019 WGN Chicago Officials remind public about water safety after man drowns in Lake Michigan, 07/21/2019 NBC 5 Chicago After Recent Tragedies, CFD Officials Offer Water Safety Tips, 07/18/2019 MLIVE Toddler floats away on inflatable duck on Lake Michigan, bystanders rescue child, 07/18/2019 Detroit Free Press Bystander saves toddler who floats away on inflatable duck in Lake Michigan, 07/18/2019 Daily Mail UK Toddler is rescued by a boater on Lake Michigan after strong winds push his yellow inflatable duck away from shore, 07/18/2019 Inside Edition Toddler Sobs as He Drifts Out on Lake Michigan on Giant Duck Float, 07/17/2019 Holland Sentinel Red flags: [Not So] Well-known warning system at state park not always heeded, 07/17/2019 Good Morning America Boater helps rescue toddler stranded on inflatable duck, 07/17/2019 ABC 7 Chicago Kids learn water safety in junior lifeguard program in Wilmette, 07/17/2019 South Bend Tribune Toddler saved in Lake Michigan by nearby boater after winds carry inflatable. Beaches There have been 27 drownings in Lake Michigan in 2019. Thats why they shut the beach down. 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. Since 2010, there have been 714 Great Lakes drownings. GLSRP is a non-profit group that tracks drowning statistics and performs presentations and training around the Midwest. 08/17/2022 CHICAGO PLAYPEN AREA FELL OFF BOAT Spencer Williams, M-29, Police said shortly before 7 p.m., Wednesday, their marine unit responded to a report that a person fell off a boat in the Playpen near the Jardine Water filtration plant. We are two weeks away from that date and so far this year the number stands at 63. Lake Superior College - Institutional Research Source: Minnesota State Operational Data (30 th day) Updated: 3/2/2023 Of course, residents are used to having lifeguards at the Washington Park beach. Great Lakes drownings are just the tip of the iceberg of the nationwide drowning crisis., 09/10/2018 WTMJ Non-profit hopes to teach Flip, Float & Follow water safety, 09/10/2018 FB Promo Todays TMJ4 LAKE MICHIGAN DROWNINGS: 33 people who have drowned in Lake Michigan this year.