Officials identified the man pulled from Montrose Harbor as Francisco Gonzalez, and said he is not the same person who went missing in the Playpen Wednesday night. I pulled a kid out who was under for 10 minutes. 10/17/2020 Pool Fence DIY Lake Drowning Prevention: Lake Michigan Sets a Drowning Record with 53 Lives Lost in 2020. 1. That friend called again at 12:15 a.m. to confirm that Salvino had arrived home, but the 25-year-old said he was still walking to his residence. A life ring is one of the easiest ways to save a drowning victim, especially off a pier. Wasserman said there have not been lifeguards at McKinley Beach for more than a decade. Of course, residents are used to having lifeguards at the Washington Park beach. 2016 was the deadliest year on the lake. The presentation is hosted by Chesterton Girl Scouts Troop 30373. Benjamin and Bob Pratt, GLSRPs executive director of education, are currently traveling throughout the Midwest to provide in-school presentations on water safety. Lake Superior is the largest of the Great Lakes. 07/09/2020 Windsor Star UWindsor prof worries more beach goers could lead to more drownings. Without lifeguards on duty to watch over those who choose to swim in Lake Michigan, experts are worried it could be a recipe for disaster. You flip on your back and you float float to keep your head above water, float to conserve your energy, and float to calm yourself down from the fear and panic of drowning and then follow the safest path out of the water. The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project is another resource for water safety. And now consider how often you play in water. Now, community officials are banding together, announcing new safety tools at Fridays Beach Safety Initiative on the Grand Haven Beach. GLSRP is a non-profit group that tracks drowning statistics and performs presentations and training around the Midwest. 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. The kayakers were reported missing Thursday evening at Michigan . 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. Michigan City Mayor Ron Meer issued this statement: It humbles me to know that the equipment we installed was utilized by two Michigan City residents to prevent drownings from occurring. Menu. Exhausted and hysterical, she screamed, My babies, where are my babies?, Mews texted her brother, Coast Guard found me a half hour ago. Dont be another statistic. Were going to have a lot of people at the beach, 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. Statistics - Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project He was pulled from the water, taken to the hospital and died. Inflatable toys like rafts, ducks, unicorns, swans and other objects can get blown fast and far offshore when the wind is blowing from the land and out to open water, GLSRP Executive Director Dave Benjamin said. 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. In Lake Michigan so far this year, 33 people have drowned. 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. The project is being headed by the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, with Lifeguards out of Whiting, Chesterton, and Michigan City. At least 13 of this years drownings were in Michigan waters, the data show. Awards Conferred 2020-2021. When youre panicking, its an emotional and an irrational response to the situation. Knowing how to swim is not enough. Water levels are higher, beaches are thinner and more people will be converging at beaches for outdoor recreation. Overall since 2010, the GLSRP has tracked 625 Great Lakes drownings. 06/09/2020 MLIVE Double drowning tragedy underscores danger of Great Lakes The thing about drowning is its 100 percent preventable, said David Benjamin, executive director of public relations at the Great Lakes Rescue Surf Project. Resolved - Service Disruption under Investigation, Resolved: Some services unavailable after firewall upgrade, Office Coordinator '13' in the Centre for English Language Development, Student Success Coordinator Classification "VII" in the Faculty of Education, Administrative Assistant Reception & Student Support '7' in the Department of Co-operative Education & Workplace Partnerships, Supervisor, Operations Administration in the Department of Facility Services, Research Grant Accountant '9' in the Department of Financial Accounting and Reporting, Manager of Technical Support and Infrastructure in the Faculty of Engineering, Technical and Production Coordinator 'V' in the School of Dramatic Art (substitute vacancy until approx. This year has been no exception. 06/03/2017 The News Dispatch In brief Lake Michigan lifeguards to participate in MC training Indiana Lake Michigan Lifeguards will be participating in one of these two Open Water Surf Lifeguard In-Service training sessions, Monday in Whiting, Indiana, or Tuesday in Michigan City. 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. Theres more information on Great Lakes drowning statistics and how to keep yourself on the water, www.glsrp.org. Flip-float-follow is the stop-drop-and-roll of water safety, said Benjamin, with the emphasis on float. Superior Obituaries | Local Obits for Superior, WI - Legacy.com Lake Superior College 30th-Day Semester Fact Sheet - Fall 2022 Stay with any boat that overturned; its buoyant. 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. While the weather hasnt been really warm until recently, that hasnt stopped people from going into the lake, oftentimes unprepared. Since 2010, the Great Lakes Rescue Project has recorded 631 drownings in the Great Lakes. An avid boater and outdoors enthusiast, Przykuta was not wearing a life vest. 07/04/2019 UpNorthLive GLSRP: 22 drownings in Great Lakes so far in 2019 GREAT LAKES (WPBN/WGTU) The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project (GLSRP) has released their statistics for the number of drownings in the Great Lakes for 2019. Men are less likely to take safety precautions, Pratt said. Specifically, as stay-at-home orders were lifted and residents were able to visit the beach, there was an increase in the number of drownings close to the main city centres.. According to statistics from the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, 23 people have died in Lake Erie between the start of the year and Aug. 19. But my job is the survival of Michigan City and its future. This year, two drowned. We are two weeks away from that date and so far this year the number stands at 63. A flag has never rescued anybody. He was swimming with his mom and another sibling when he submerged. 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. Take proper precautions near the waterThere were 88 drownings in the Great Lakes last year, according to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. When first responders arrived, he was floating and being pushed by waves. He was revived, but died two days later at a Kenosha hospital. Add in record high Lake Michigan water levels, which can create bigger waves and stronger rip currents, plus erosion that has reduced the size of some beaches, and its no wonder Great Lakes water safety officials are worried. 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 has given classroom presentations in Oak Lawn, Palos Heights and Blue Island this past spring. Its a huge gasp that totally fills your lungs If your head is underwater when you gasp, you will immediately drown, and without the support of a PFD, you will head straight for the bottom.. The Coast Guard initially pinged the 911 calls to Madeline Island. According to GLSRP data, overall since 2010 they have tracked 858 Great Lakes drownings. Brandon Schmidts mother, Brandi Donley, turned grief into resolve, and then action. Floating can calm people down. You wouldnt try to put your seatbelt on during a car crash. I know he positively impacted so many during his short time on campus and losing him is going to be difficult.. With swimming season just getting started, this year could match that total. So you never play in fire, but you know a fire survival strategy. In fact, Bob believes the stand up paddle industry has a golden opportunity to introduce life preserver and leash safety early on in this exploding sport. But that comes with a special warning as the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project releases the latest drowning statistics for the Great Lakes. During the entire week of spring break, Kenoshas YMCA is offering free swim safety lessons. 05/28/2020 NWI Times Pandemic squashes hiring of lifeguards, officials say; safety advocates contend dangers ahead, 05/28/2020 Journal Sentinel Wisconsins closed pools, lack of beach lifeguards and high water levels create the perfect storm for Great Lakes drownings. So, we always tell people to steer clear from the pier. Its going to continue to be a leading cause of accidental death until we start to look at the bigger picture, said Benjamin. We feel its for the best for the safety. 04/14/2020 Patch Homewood Man Wins Lifesaver of The Year Award Dave Benjamin has been recognized for his efforts to prevent drownings across the Great Lakes. 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. Males overestimate it by about 50 percent.. The two summers this decade warmer than this past one 2012 and 2016 were the equally deadly years on the Great Lakes. In November of that same year, she went to the Port Sheldon Township Board and pleaded for warning signs and other safety equipment. 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. On Friday, his body was found in Lake Superior in Fort William First Nation. Yet, more school-age children may die from drowning each year in the United States than die in fires, tornadoes or even school shootings, they said. Dave Benjamin, co-founder of the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, has used this time to educate the public about the risks involved. Eric Przykuta, a 43-year-old seventh-grade science teacher at Lancaster Middle School, died in an evening accident when the fishing boat he was riding in with two other men struck the breakwall near the Small Boat Harbor. Or how many lives may have been saved. US records rising number of drownings in lakes, rivers and backyard Thatcher knew how to respond if he gets in trouble in the water. Were utilizing our social media pages to post conditions. Our beaches get structural currents around jetties and piers, and when youre close to those structures you can get caught in a current, which can carry you out to deeper water, Bueling said. The GLSRP is awaiting updates on these incidences. If you dont know what drowning looks like, youll miss it. 07/31/2017 WBEZ Public Radio The GLSRPs Dave Benjamin was be on WBEZs Morning Shift, 91.5 FM, Monday to discuss the current Great Lakes drowning statistics and Great Lakes Water Safety with host, Jenn White. You have seconds to get to a person before they submerge, Benjamin aid. Underwater visibility in places reaches 30 meters 100 feet. Were also working with the township and engineers and having ongoing conversations about what we can do, such as placing a gate on the pier and finding other ways to educate the public.. 09/25/2019 The Great Lakes Echo Would lifeguards make the Great Lakes safer? 07/30/2019 WKZO Great Lakes drowning deaths are now over 50 so far this year Lake Michigan has the highest rate of drowning occurrences. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. There is a huge difference between pool and open water training. 04/12/2018 ABC 57 Open forum held to discuss the future of New Buffalo lifeguards We were given three minutes today to talk about the importance of lifeguards, only three minutes. Heres Your Water Safety Primer. We asked if lifeguards would ever come back to South Haven? Those interested in sharing their opinion about the future of Holland State Park will have an opportunity in an upcoming virtual meeting. The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project says that many of the 53 deaths in Lake Michigan in 2020 were preventable. I didnt know is the number one thing that we hear from family and friends of victims after a tragic event. This year, more people have drowned in Lake Michigan than the other Great Lakes combined. Benjamin got involved with the organization in 2010 after he nearly died from a drowning while surfing on the Great Lakes. (Read my previous column on Indiana Dunes State Park beach last weekend as an example.). 2. If you are headed to a Great Lakes shoreline to walk out on a breakwater, climb some nearshore rocks, or jog along a lakeshore path, its important to know what the predicted wave and wind patterns will be for the day. Stay Safe. Last year there were 46 drownings in Lake Michigan plus 6 listed in Critical Condition. (We) came together and now we will have lifesaving devices (going up) on the north and the south piers, Jim Zondlak, a KSFCA board member and former president, said Wednesday. Overall since 2010, the GLSRP has tracked 740 Great Lakes drownings. Boys dont know that, moms dont know that. Most importantly, it can happen to anyone more than 50 percent of drowning victims are strong swimmers, according to the United States Coast Guard. 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. Hawke said that all Grand Haven public safety officers are trained in water safety and water rescue. CPD took over and brought the man to shore in Evanston, along with Coast Guard personnel assisting on the way. The Kochers only child, Matt, drowned in Lake Michigan while at camp in 2013 at the age of 15, pulled from the shore by a rip current. 10/09/2020 Spartan News Room Is Lake Michigan the most dangerous Great Lake? At this pace we will likely have 100 Great Lakes drownings in 2020. The water was relatively calm Thursday, though that is expected to change for the weekend. If someone is drowning, they can find the life ring on the pier. said Dave Benjamin, executive director of the organization. But it is unclear if a lifeguard would have made a difference in Sareyis drowning. Awards Conferred 2019-2020. As states start to loosen shelter-in-place restrictions and the economy restarts, people want to get out, Benjamin said. Susan Foster lost her son five years ago on the same pier. Death Under the Bridge Apple Books From Madeline Island on a clear day, it looks tantalizingly close, but its nearly four miles away. 09/24/2018 Kenosha News Committees approve installing life rings, education resolution, violation penalties In the wake of four lakefront drownings here the past two years, including most recently high school student Donovan Anderson, the city of Kenosha is moving toward a comprehensive approach to upgrade water safety. If theres a red flag out there dont go in the water, said Adam Bueling, assistant manager of beaches and pools for the Chicago Park District. Edison sixth-grader Dakota Sullivan said he can swim a little but not very well. Saturday evening, 10-year-old Joshua Torres, of Chicago, and 14-year-old Malik Freeman, of Aurora, were pulled from the water within an hour of each other at the same Indiana Dunes State Park beach. 08/06/2018 WZZM Tips for surviving a rip current in Lake Michigan Rip currents are quite common in the Great Lakes; here are some survival tips if you get caught in one. So, in case something does happen, and they get caught up in a current, thats just extra protection for them just in case, said Petty Officer Dennis Whartnaby with the Sturgeon Bay Coast Guard. 06/07/2020 WNDU Great Lakes Beach Hazard & Water Safety Awareness Week runs from June 7-13, 06/03/2020 South Bend Tribune How to avoid crowds and COVID-19 at shrunken beaches of Lake Michigan Michigan City decided against posting lifeguards at its beach this summer, a move that drew sharp criticism from the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project as its director, Dave Benjamin, said, Removing lifeguards will cost lives and the cost to recover a body is much greater than the lifeguards salaries.. We still have four more months to go, Benjamin said. 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. 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. He said that according to the World Health Organization, drowning continues to be a neglected public health issue. of Natural Resources says the 6-year-old child was swimming in the swim zone of the beach when they went under the water but failed to resurface. You need to know how to survive, Benjamin said. If you smelled smoke right now, you would look for a fire alarm. 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. For the first time in five years, lifeguards are not on duty at Atwater Park beach due to a shortage of lifeguard applications received by the Milwaukee County Parks Department. The father died from hypothermia, the children drowned. 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. There have been six in 2018 already. Overall since 2010, there have been at least 747 Great Lakes drownings. Ive written too many columns on drowning deaths in Lake Michigan. 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.. Speakers from theGreat Lakes Sea Grant Network,National Weather Service,Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project,universities, and many others will share the latest science, techniques, and technologies. Last year in 2020, there was a total of 108 Great Lakes drownings in 2021 reported. 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. The good news is that drownings are down this year over last year at about this time. 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. Lake Superior | US EPA Experts said the distinctive shape of the lake, which is 307 miles long with parallel, uninterrupted shores running north to south, makes it susceptible to dangerous currents. 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. Those numbers are being updated almost daily. 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. These are things every parent should know and are reasons to watch your kids like a hawk, Benjamin said. MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) - A Marquette woman has been sentenced to prison for a fatal crash that happened in October 2020. 10/04/2020 Fox 11 GREEN BAY (WLUK) 2020 breaks record for drownings on Lake Michigan. And canceling lifeguards is a huge setback, Benjamin said. 11/02/2018 Bridge Michigan Bob Pratt, executive director of education for the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project and a retired East Lansing fire marshal, offers tips for staying safe while youre enjoying the vast bodies of water. Those include coronavirus cabin fever; public pools being closed, cold lake water, high water levels, beach erosion and debris in the lake. [*Unfortunately there were some misquoted or misunderstood information during the interview. Lifeguard hours were cut from 9 a.m to 8:30 p.m. to 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in 2009 in an effort to save about $700,000 a year. To him, it speaks to a larger need for overall water safety education. A person who is drowning is in panic mode and can push a lifeguard or other would-be rescuer under water. The first girl might have been OK, but the second girl definitely would not. Lake Michigan breaks record for deadliest year for drownings: Great 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. 10/11/2020 Northwest Indiana Times With Lake Michigans record-high deaths, activists call for more safety measures, 10/09/2020 Petoskey News-Review Local Lowdown: Swim at your own risk Lake Michigan drownings at a 10 year high, 10/09/2020 The Sault News Swim at your own risk: Lake Michigan drownings at a 10 year high. We noticed that at that time there was no signage about the rip currents or the dangers of Lake Michigan, James Schmidt said. He noted the city and the Corps already have a real estate agreement for the south pier of the harbor and might not need to do a new and separate one for the north pier. Porter Police found Sandys car in the parking lot near the beach, and a search has been underway since Monday. If you enter the water, ease your way in and wear a lifejacket. Since 2010, there have been more than 850 drownings in the Great Lakes. 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. During offshore winds, the water at the shoreline can be deceptively calm, but the farther one gets from shore, the winds become stronger and the water can become choppy. 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). COVID-19 Research and Innovation Guidance, Pandemic behind increased drownings on Great Lakes beaches, research suggests, Pursue strengths in research and graduate education. You can get by one or two, you do that third, tragedies happen, Schmidt said. 11/17/2022 CLEVELAND, OH Adam Harry, M-33, of Lakeland, missing since November 17, was pulled out of the water by Cleveland Metroparks police and Cleveland firefighters recovered his body 12/29/2022 in the 8700 block of Lakeshore Boulevard. 11/18/2020 US Army Corps of Engineers High water levels and wave events increase safety hazards The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers urges caution around Great Lake piers, breakwaters and jetties, particularly during times of high wind and wave events. 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. The family will probably never know how many people read the signs and heeded the warnings. 09/04/2018 Journal Sentinel The body of a swimmer from Franklin who disappeared in Lake Michigan two weeks ago has been found, authorities reported Tuesday. [NOTE: 2018 stats are currently under review for final confirmation], 740 Great Lakes Drownings since 2010 (+/-). Deadly summer Ironically, as the coalition began meeting [in July of 2018] in the hope of pushing for improved safety, Kenosha entered what became a deadly summer on the water. Its time to stop talking about it and just do it, Benjamin added.