Contact:
Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project
Dave Benjamin, Executive Director of Public Relations,
708-903-0166
Bob Pratt, Executive Director of Education, 517-643-2553
Great Lakes Drownings continue to skyrocket
61 to date; 222 since 2010
GREAT LAKES,
USA – The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project (GLSRP) announces its current drowning
statistics. Great Lakes drownings climb to 61! Overall, there have been 222 drownings since 2010.
#60 – Lake Erie – Charles D. McCarley, 46, disappeared
Friday night after he headed out alone to listen to music on a docked boat.
More than
12 hours later, police found his body beneath that same boat. Foul play is
not suspected. It’s believed that McCarley, who had been drinking earlier with
his father, fell into the water and drowned.
#61 – Lake Huron – The boater jumped into the water to fish
out a hat before 2:30 p.m. that had blown overboard. The area, known as “The Cove” is known for
its strong currents, located near the mouth of the yacht club. The boater
wasn't wearing a lifejacket.
“Everyone who enters
the Great Lakes should know the “Dangerous
Currents” and be a strong swimmer,” said Dave Benjamin, executive
director. “Weather conditions can change
fast, which will change the water condition.”
BEACH
AND WATER SAFETY TIPS
--Constant
uninterrupted adult supervision of children; i.e. Keep children within arm’s
reach – aka hands-on touch supervision
--When in doubt,
don’t go out. Know your limits and the limits of your friends and family
at the beach.
--Don’t jump off
piers or break walls.
--Obey posted
warning flags (Green, Yellow, Red)
--Swim at guarded
beaches
--Never swimming
alone or in unsupervised places. Teach children to always swim with a friend.
--Refraining from swimming beyond skill level
###
The Great Lakes Surf
Rescue Project, Inc. (GLSRP) is
about saving lives. It is a nonprofit corporation that is a Chapter of
the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA) that tracks drowning statistics, teaches “Water Safety Surf Rescue”
classes, and leads the “Third Coast Ocean Force”
rip current awareness campaign on the Great Lakes.
It has been selected
to present at the 2nd International Rip Current Symposium Nov. 1st, 2012 in Sydney, Australia; the 2012
winner of the “Outstanding Service to the Great Lakes Community” award presented by the Dairyland Surf
Classic; the 2011 “Lifesaver of the Year” award winner;
and a presenter at
the NDPA’s 11th Annual Symposium in San Diego, March 9, 2012.
FREE "Water Safety Surf Rescue" class scheduled
for the summer. The “Water Safety Surf Rescue” classes are
FREE and OPEN to the public, surfers, lifeguards, police officers, fire
fighters, paramedics, water rescue team members, dive team members, and the
Coast Guard. Walk-ins welcome or RSVP to Dave Benjamin,
708-903-0166.
Upcoming “Water Safety Surf Rescue” class dates and cities:
Sat., Aug 4, South Haven, MI
Sun., Aug. 5, Grand Haven, MI
Mon., Aug 13, Coloma, MI [Private class]
Sun., August 19, New Buffalo, MI
Sun., Sept. 3, Sheboygan, WI
More dates to be announced soon…
The class will teach participants how to:
·
Recognize the danger of the surf environment keeping
personal safety as THE primary responsibility
·
Understand rip currents; i.e. how, where, and why rip
currents occur and how to survive rips;
·
Know the “Signs of Drowning” – How to identify a person in
trouble from within a crowd.
·
How to perform the Michigan Sea Grant’s “Flip, Float, and
Follow” rip current survival strategy
·
Summon help and use a surfboard or other flotation device to
rescue a person in distress or in a rip current
·
React when encountering swimmers who have suffered an injury
or unconscious
·
Enroll in lifesaving, first aid and CPR training from
accredited agencies.
2012Great
Lakes Drownings
(61 as of August 1)
(Info
provided by the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project)
LAKE MICHIGAN
1.
Sun. 01/08
John Doe M-30s Chicago
2.
Tue. 01/24 Brittany Finley 22-F Oak
Creek, WI
3.
Sun. 02/05
John Doe M-50s
Chicago
4.
Fri. 03/02
Talmadge “Todd” Channell 35-M Chicago ?
5.
Sun. 03/04 Philip Patnaude 28-M Chicago Fell in Harbor
6.
Mon. 03/05 Rasheed Mariano 17-M Waukegan, IL Pier
Jump
7.
Sat. 03/10 Peter Dougherty 24-M Port
Washington, WI Kayaking
9.
Wed. 04/11
Willie
Edward Hurse 33-M Beverly Shores, IN
10. Sun. 04/22
David Dickerson 43-M Grand
Traverse Bay Canoe
12. Thur. 05/24
Lexie Adu 15-F
Chicago, Loyola Park Rip Current
13. Sat. 05/26
Jane Doe 36-F
59th Street harbor ?
14. Mon. 05/28
Jorge Garduno 20-M Zion, Illinois Swimming
15. Sat. 06/02
Ling Lang Zou 24-F Ludington,
MI ?
16. Tues. 06/12 George Sosa 14-M Chicago, IL North Ave. Beach
17. Fri. 06/15 Christian Ouding 13-M Grand
Haven, MI
18. Mon. 06/17 Leonel
Dominguez 31-M Beverly Shores, IN
19. Mon. 06/17 Joseph
Hall 58-M Pere Marquette Park, MI
20. Tues. 06/19 Alexander Hines 26-M St.
Joseph, MI Fall from pier
21. Wed. 06/20 Maleisa
Brown 3-F South Haven, MI
22. Wed. 07/04 Mahlik J. Harris ?-M 31St Street Beach,
Chicago
23. Sun. 07/08 Corey McFry 15-M Portage, IN Possible Rip Current
24. Thur. 07/12 Romero Roundtree 16-M Chicago, IL
25. Sun. 07/15 Dr. Victoria Kut 44-F Lake Forest, IL
26. Fri. 07/20 Nacere
Bradley 5-M West Beach, Gary, IN
27. Fri. 07/20 Craig
A. Hoffman 44-M Eichelman Park, Kenosha, WI
28. Sat. 07/21 Robert Moran 18-M Cross Village Beach, MI
29. Fri. 07/27 Ron
Washington 60-M Burton Place, Chicago, IL
30. Fri. 07/27 Ayanna Patterson 12-F North Avenue Beach, Chicago, IL
LAKE SUPERIOR
31. Mon. 06/11 Jeffery Carlos Watson Jr., 13-M Duluth,
MN
32. Sun. 06/17 Robert Weitzel 57-M Pigeon
Bay Point, MN Kayak
33. Tues. 06/26 Derril Yerigan 52-M Whitefish
Point, MI Scuba Diving
34. Thur. 07/05 William Jaksha 54-M Ontonagon
35. Wed. 07/11 Rose Mary Marshall 89-F Grand
Marais
LAKE ONTARIO
36. Sat. 01/21
J. Doe ?-? Boulevard Club
37. Thur. 02/09 John Doe 47-M Burloak Waterfront Park
38. Sun. 02/26 J. Doe ?-? Queen’s Quay
39. Wed. 02/29 Mathieu LeClair 20-M Kingston, Ont.
40. Fri. 03/16 John Doe 20-M Toronto Fall
42. Sat. 04/21 David Tuttle ?-M Henderson, NY
43. Sun. 06/16
Marcos A. Peralta 27-M Fair Haven Beach Pier
Jumping
44. Sun. 07/08 Dennis J. Ash 16-M Wilson, NY
Swimming near Pier
45. Thur. 07/19 John Doe 24-M Bluffer’s Park
46. Sat. 07/21 John Doe 17-M
47. Tues. 07/24 Timothy D. Confer 33-M Sandy
Creek
LAKE ERIE
48. Wed. 05/23
Gregory Gulko 45-M Point
Pelee Sailing
49. Thur. 06/21 John Doe 22-M Lake Erie Harbor Pier Jumping
50. Wed. 06/26 Laura
Recco 47-F Huntington Beach, Ohio Rip Current
51. Thur. 07/04 Anthony Norman 23-M Avon
Lake, Ohio Fishing
53. Fri. 07/13 Lisa Harder 10-F Port Burwell, Ont. Swimming
54. Sat. 07/14 John Doe 12-M Sherkston Shores, Ontario
55. Tues. 07/17 Terry Hansard 18-M Euclid Beach, Cleveland
56. Fri. 07/27 Charles D. McCarley 46-M Ottawa County’s West Harbor
LAKE HURON
57. Sun. 07/01 Jeno Bujtas 27-M Grand Bend
58. Mon. 07/09 Mohammed Zindani 7-M Port
Huron
59. Son. 07/22 John Doe 6-M Manitoulin Island
60. Mon. 07/23 John Doe 21 Mos-M Manitoulin
Island
61. Sun. 07/29 John
Doe 43-M Sarnia Yacht Club
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