There have been six in 2018 already. Beachgoers tried to help but were turned back by the waves. Year: 2022. But along with beautiful sunsets on the shoreline and family memories, the Great Lakes carry danger in their powerful waters. 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. However, he soon got into trouble as well. 06/05/2017 Fox News Chicago Whiting Open Water Surf Lifeguard In-service Training. Theyre first responders on the beach, Benjamin said. 09/13/2018 Kenosha News Mayor: Safest option is to fence off the north pier Dave Benjamin, of the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, put it similarly. This year, 48 people have drowned in the Great Lakes. There have been 76 in all five Great Lakes as of Sept. 18. This week Bradford Beach has been crammed as temperatures hit the 70s and 80s. The year prior to that had a record 117 fatalities. But according to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, Lake Michigan has taken 31 lives this year alone, marking it one of the deadliest summers since 2010. 09/02/2017 WZZM 68 people have drowned in the Great Lakes in 2017, 09/02/2017 WISN ABC Surfer helps save man from rough Lake Michigan At Bradford Beach, 09/01/2017 WNEM Report: 68 drownings reported in Great Lakes this year, 09/01/2017 WLNS Great Lakes drownings prompt warning for holiday swimmers. Drownings typically spike in periods with what the project calls the three Ws waves, winds and weekends. Driver in fatal crash sentenced to prison for OWI Causing Death Two other important tips from the Coast Guard: avoid alcohol and wear a life jacket. If you ask anyone anywhere in the United States, What do you do if your clothes catch on fire? they will tell you, Stop, drop and roll. But ask them What do you do if you are drowning? and youll most often get silence and blank stares, explained Dave Benjamin, executive director of the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project (www.GLSPR.org). Float. The odd yet peaceful calm. The key is not panicking. While you may be planning on a smaller scale this summer, here are some 07/29/2019 MIX 95.7 Dangerous conditions on Lake Michigan expected again Monday. But with that being said, its something to be considered.. Many public pools may be closed or have delayed openings, which means that many more people will be going to the beach.. 03/14/2018 MSU Great Lakes Water Safety 2018 Conference to address dangerous currents that continue to take lives April 26-27, Evanston, IL, 03/13/2018 NWI Times Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project educators stress water safety to kids, say specific techniques should be learned LAKE STATION Officials with the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project said schools today will conduct fire drills, tornado drills and active shooter drills, but there are no schools that conduct water safety education. Research by science dean Chris Houser and Masters student Brett Vlodarchyk found a significant increase in surf-related drownings on the Great Lakes this summer. 06/06/2017 ABC 7 Lake Michigan beach hazard warning, swim advisory in effect Tuesday With a possibility of a closure on Wednesday, or maybe yellow flags on Wednesday, which means people allowed in the water up to a certain depth, said Nick Kalwinski, Whihala Beach supervisor. Swimming may not even be the right word for what happened. Lifeguards at nearby Hamburg Town Beach tried reaching Biehler, but they were unable to. 10/25/2020 MLIVE Why most Lake Michigan beaches dont have lifeguards despite repeated drownings. Completed - Maintenance Temporarily Affecting UWindsor.ca, Tuesday, Feb, 21, 6 - 8 a.m. Benjamin said the number of drownings have fluctuated, but the dips in 2014 and 2015 were likely due to cooler-than-normal temperatures during the summer months. 07/19/2017 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel The Great Lakes are on track to see over 100 drownings this year, with half of those in Lake Michigan, said Dave Benjamin of the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, a nonprofit group that collects data on drowning incidents. Lake Superior is the largest of the Great Lakes. (KMSP) - A Wisconsin DNR investigative report reveals a series of errors by the family who tipped their kayak in Lake Superior near Madeline Island in late August, leading to the deaths of the three children and their father. He compares lifejackets to seatbelts; you dont put them on after youre in a crash. Ever since I moved here, we had always heard of different drownings, and it wasnt until this past season somebody decided to actually do something about it.. Read the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Projects full drowning summary atwww.glsrp.org/statistics. Winds often affect local water levels, dramatically increasing levels during storms. And those who do survive will likely have brain damage. 04/12/2018 WZZM Michigan beach town of New Buffalo axing its lifeguards, despite drownings Last year, 40 people drowned in Lake Michigan, down slightly from 46 a year earlier, according to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, a safety group that tracks drownings. The unidentified person was brought back to shore and described as a white man, 59 to 510 tall, weighing approximately 160 to 180 lbs with brown hair. OVERVIEW OF GREAT LAKES DROWNINGS 01/01/2010 12/31/2019, 74 drownings in 201088 in 201199 in 201267 in 201354 in 201455 in 201599 in 201688 in 2017117 in 201897to date in 2019838since 2010, 2019 = 97Lake Michigan = 48Lake Superior = 5Lake Huron = 8Lake Erie = 28Lake Ontario =8. 05/23/2020 Windsor News Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project looking to flatten the curve of drownings WINDSOR, ONT. Benjamin argues, when it comes to water safety, time is of the essence. In 2018 so far, there have been 102 drownings in the Great Lakes. 04/23/2018 ABC 57 New Buffalo votes to keep lifeguards this summer The New Buffalo city council voted Monday to keep lifeguards on duty at least for one more summer. The 4 Ws warm, wind, waves and weekend- may come into play this weekend bringing more people to the beach. When youre panicking, its an emotional and an irrational response to the situation. The presentation is hosted by Chesterton Girl Scouts Troop 30373. When a drowning happens, people often blame the victim or the parents or Darwinism. Thatcher knew how to respond if he gets in trouble in the water. Since 2010, there have been 854 drownings in the Great Lakes, according to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. A rescue flotation device also now hangs along the boardwalk to the beach access, just beneath Brandon Schmidts memorial plaque. A yellow flag means be cautious because weather conditions are unpredictable or bacteria levels in the water are above the threshold deemed safe by the Environmental Protection Agency. MUNSING, Mich. (WLUC) - UPDATE: The body of the second kayaker that died on Lake Superior near Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore was recovered on Friday . Note: * = (+/-) Awaiting 100% confirmation of drowning. The presentation will include information about drowning statistics; the signs of drowning; survival strategies, including flip, float, follow; how, why and where dangerous currents occur; basic water rescue; and basic water resuscitation. The plan does not, however, include an updated water condition warning system for park visitors. 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. But leaders with the city say that protection isnt real, and is a liability. They say they wouldnt be that parent or put themselves in that situation. 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. Richards says the council has special meetings Thursday and Friday. According to the groups figures, last year there were 97 drownings in the Great Lakes and Lake Michigan claimed 48 of those lives. So far in 2020, at least 10 people have drowned in Lake Michigan, according to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. There were 11 more drowning deaths than average in Lake Ontario this year and four more in Lake Huron. The Michigan City training will be held 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at North Point Pavilion, 6 On the Lake, Michigan City. As Hoffmaster explained during Tuesdays council workshop, the city has lost $1.1 million in revenue per month since the Blue Chip Casino and Washington Park shut down. 10/01/2018 Buffalo News For Erie and the Great Lakes as a whole, 2018 ties a deadly record This year has been Western New Yorks deadliest for drownings in Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. A flag has never rescued anybody. They say it is a dangerous combination. Lake Michigan breaks record for deadliest year for drownings: Great 08/01/2020 WZZM Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project to educate on lake safety This comes just days after three people drowned in Lake Michigan. Since drownings happen within minutes, calling 911 to summon help often means first responders end up recovering bodies rather than saving lives. He was reported to be in the water, yelling for help and struggling to stay afloat. Dont swim where and when there are no lifeguards.. Susan Foster lost her son five years ago on the same pier. A few days later, Hamburg fisherman Robert Maccubbin, 50, died after apparently going overboard from a raft into the 46-degree lake off of Athol Springs. 08/27/2018 9 and 10 News Ohio Man Dies After Falling Off Frankfort Pier into Lake Michigan. Benjamin wants the Flip, Float and Follow slogan to become as well known to people as the Stop, Drop and Roll motto taught to children during fire safety. Its surface area is 31,700 square miles (82,000 square kilometers). But White is resistant to that idea. 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. 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. 2023 FOX Television Stations, from SUN 9:00 AM CST until MON 12:00 PM CST, Clay County, Norman County, Wilkin County, Gov. Since 2010, the GLSRP said there have been 762 drownings in the Great Lakes. 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). 07/28/2017 NBC 5 Stay Out of the Water: Warning to Chicago-Area Beachgoers Extended, 07/25/2017 Ozaukee Press Port Washington helps prepare beachgoers for possible emergencies with water safety cards. The nonprofit annually tracks drownings in the Great Lakes and recently issued a warning about a summer spike in deaths. Brandon Schmidts mother, Brandi Donley, turned grief into resolve, and then action. Benjamin says frequent winds from the north cause currents along the shore line. The group says this year, there have been 20 possible drownings so far. Its meant to be a tool for lifeguards; but it doesnt replace them. 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. 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. There is no excuse to continue to operate these beaches without lifeguards, Benjamin said. For more information on water safety, visit www.glsrp.org/water-safety/. 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. When winds blow directly onshore, that creates strong waves and increases the possibility of dangerous currents, including currents that flow away from the beach and back out to the lake, Rodriguez said. Her efforts, which include water safety classes for Madison and Ashtabula students in partnership with the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, earned her the honor as the Great Lakes Water Safety Consortium 2016 Water Safety Superhero of the Year. Drowning happens to other people until you become other people. 09/24/2017 Holland Sentinel A much better summer: Drownings down from 2016 Five people died in Ottawa County waters last year. 09/13/2018 Kenosha News Life rings helping save lives in beach locations There should be no question that life rings are an important step toward public safety. People dont use them because theyre not fashionable, and restrictive or because they overestimate their true swimming ability, Benjamin said. We need a water safety school curriculum to save future generations from drowning. It has a volume of 2,900 cubic miles (12,000 cubic kilometers), making it the third most voluminous in the world. If a lifeguard has a bad day, someone might lose their life.. 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. Unfortunately, a drowning person can climb all over you, and a drowning person can take you under, Benjamin said. Almost half of those drownings take place in Lake Michigan. Benjamin is a strong advocate for lifeguards, which most Lake Michigan beaches dont have. Follow. One of the possible drownings being tracked this week is a South Bend man who is still missing after he disappeared off Porter Beach last weekend. I cant get enough qualified lifeguards to apply, said Richards. . There have been 43 drowning deaths in the Great Lakes so far in 2020, according to Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. 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. 06/04/2019 Interlochen Public Radio Record number of drowning deaths in Great Lakes last year. 06/21/2017 ABC 7 Floating water park set to open on Lake Michigan in Whiting, Indiana The $300,000 floating playground is a result of a joint venture between the city and the private company. 07/16/2019 US News Toddler Saved in Lake Michigan After Winds Carry Inflatable Witnesses say a toddler was rescued in Lake Michigan after he drifted away from his family on an inflatable duck in Indiana. Consider how often do you play in fire? Really rough to see these boats out here and relive what we did five years ago, Foster said. And canceling lifeguards is a huge setback, Benjamin said. Douglas County Mn CrashViolent crime in Douglas County is considered In addition theres the lost revenue for closing the beach and negative publicity to overcome with the drowning. The south sides (windward sides) of all piers will be the most turbulent and dangerous spots on Lake Michigan.. The toughest thing to do if youre caught in a rip current is to swim directly to shore, Oudeman said. And if youre drowning education comes from what youve seen on movies and television, you may miss the moment when your help is needed most. 06/10/2020 WXYZ Detroit Officials emphasize safety after 2 drown in Lake Michigan, 06/09/2020 Huron Daily Tribune Officials emphasize safety after 2 drown in Lake Michigan, 06/09/2020 Holland Sentinel COVID furloughs meant no warning flags on Holland beach as two boys drowned. 04/23/2018 WSBT New Buffalo leaders have decided to keep lifeguard program for the summer, 04/19/2018 Record Eagle Free YMCA class encourages adults to test the waters, 04/18/2018 Water Safety in Racine The City of Racine, Wisconsin is using the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project projects illustrations, the Signs of Drowning and Flip Float and Follow. Pay is $10.40 an hour. 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. 06/03/2019 Fox 6 Its about time: Life rings installed at North, South Pier in Kenosha after 4 drownings in 2018 KENOSHA Life rings were installed at Kenoshas North Pier and South Pier after four drownings in 2018, including a case involving a 17-year-old Indian Trail High School student. City officials countered that the pandemic interfered with their ability to recruit and train lifeguards and argued that rescues could put guards at risk of the virus, The Times reported. 7 drownings have taken place on Lake Erie this month, including 5 in Northern Ohio. The organization doesnt track inner-water drownings, like on rivers. But the No. 10/13/2019 Holland Sentinel Deadly currents stalk swimmers, 10/01/2010 The News Dispatch Splashing around to save lives Coolspring kids get tips on not becoming a Lake Michigan statistic. Swintek said boats responding from Grand Haven run in the range of $3,000 to $4,800 per hour, depending on the vessel, its equipment and how much fuel it burns. His companion survived. 08/13/2017 WBBMs At Issue: Drowning & Water Safety Every year dozens of people will drown while swimming in Lake Michigan and the other Great Lakes preventable deaths in most cases. The phase two plan covers at least the next decade of management strategies and upgrades that will help the Department of Natural Resources protect and preserve the parks natural and cultural resources as well as provide access to public recreation and education. Since 2010, the project has reported 710 drownings on the five lakes, 291 in Lake Michigan. Leaders are trying to teach people water safety. 07/17/2019 WNEM 5 Boater rescues toddler on giant inflatable duck on Lake Michigan, 07/17/2019 Mirror, UK Screams and panic after toddler on inflatable duck floats out to sea from beach, 07/16/2019 Herald Argus Tragedy avoided at MC beach, Boaters rescue child after inflatable toy drifts to open water, 07/16/2019 CBS 2 Chicago Toddler Rescued From Lake Michigan After Drifting Away On Inflatable Duck In Michigan City, 07/16/2019 CBS 2 Chicago Video Captures Dramatic Rescue As Toddler Floated Away From Shore In Inflatable Duck In Michigan City, 07/16/2019 NBC 5 Chicago Close 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, 07/16/2019 ABC 7 Chicago Boater rescues toddler who floated away from shore in inflatable duck in Lake Michigan, 07/16/2019 WNDU NBC 16 Toddler saved in Lake Michigan after winds carry inflatable, 07/16/2019 WTTV CBS Indy 4 Indiana toddler saved in Lake Michigan after winds carry inflatable, 07/16/2019 WPVI ABC 6 Boy rescued from inflatable duck after drifting offshore in Indiana, 07/16/2019 FOX 59 Boater saves Indiana toddler in Lake Michigan after he drifted away on inflatable duck, 07/16/2019 The News Dispatch Tragedy avoided at MC beach Boaters rescue child after inflatable toy drifts to open water, 07/16/2019 New York Daily News Tot on inflatable duck reportedly carried away into Lake Michigan, saved by boat.