FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
Contact:
Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project
Dave Benjamin, Executive Director and Public Relations
708-903-0166
181 Great Lakes Drownings since 2010
Drownings up 82% over 2011; up 186% over 2010
GREAT
LAKES, USA – The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project (GLSRP)
announces its current drowning statistics. To date in 2012, 20 people have drowned in the Great
Lakes. That’s an 82% increase over the
same date in 2011; and a 186% increase over 2010. Overall since 2010, 181 people have drowned
in the Great Lakes (74 in 2010; 87 in 2011; and 20 to date in 2012).
“People wonder why we work so hard to prevent drowning. Here
is a [hyperlink
to a] graphic illustration,” said Bob Pratt, GLSRP executive director. “I cannot imagine the anguish.”
“Tracking these statistics has become heart-wrenching,”
said Dave Benjamin, GLSRP executive director.
“Nobody expects their fun day at the beach to end in tragedy. Every day that there’s a little surf, someone
seems to be drowning somewhere on the Great Lakes. It’s sad.”
“We would love to host a surf rescue class in Chicago and are
currently researching permits and seeking waivers to allow surfboards on North Ave.
Beach,” Benjamin added.
The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project is in the process of
scheduling “Water
Safety Surf Rescue” classes for the summer of 2012. The classes are free and open to the public. The first class will be in St. Joseph, MI, Sunday,
June 3 in coordination with the start of the National Weather Service’s “National Rip Current Awareness”
week.
Additional “Water Safety Surf Rescue” classes confirmed dates
and cities:
1. Sun., June 03,
St. Joseph, MI
2. June Chicago
Class (still working on details)
3. Sat., June 23,
Frankfort, MI
4. Sun., June 24,
Ogden Dunes, IN
5. Wed., July 11,
Coloma, MI – Berrien County Fire Fighters Association
6. Sat., July 21
Duluth, MN
7. Sun. Aug. 5,
Grand Haven, MI
8. August, New
Buffalo, MI (still working on finalizing a date)
9. Sun. Sept. 3,
Sheboygan, WI
More dates to be confirmed soon.
DROWNINGS May 25, 2012
2012 – 20 to date;
2011 – 11; up 82%
2010 – 7; up 186%
###
The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, Inc. (GLSRP) is about saving lives. The GLSRP 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 is a nonprofit corporation that is a Chapter of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA), the 2011 “Lifesaver of
the Year” award winner, presenter at the NDPA’s 11th Annual Symposium,
and the 2012 winner of the “Outstanding
Service to the Great Lakes Community” award presented by the Dairyland Surf
Classic.
###
2012Great
Lakes Drownings
(20 as of May 25)
(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
Loyola Park, Chicago Rip Current
LAKE ONTARIO
13. Sat. 01/21
J. Doe ?-? Boulevard Club
14. Thur. 02/09 John Doe M-47 Burloak Waterfront Park
15. Sun. 02/26 J. Doe ?-? Queen’s Quay
16. Wed. 02/29 Mathieu LeClair 20-M Kingston, Ont.
17. Fri. 03/16 John Doe 20-M Toronto Fall
19. Sat. 04/21 David Tuttle ?-M Henderson, NY
LAKE ERIE
20. Wed. 05/23
Gregory Gulko 45-M Point Pelee Sailing
2011Great Lakes Drownings
87 (23 via Rip Currents)
(Info
provided by the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project)
LAKE MICHIGAN:
1.
Sat. 01/01 Michael Hilling 19-M Chicago Retrieving object
2.
Wed. 02/02 Peter Davis 60-M Chicago Unknown
3.
Mon. 02/14 Casey Palmer 23-M Milwaukee Walk
on ice
4.
Fri. 04/08 Sarah Goenne 61-M
Chicago Fall
from dock
5.
Mon. 04/11 Jane Doe 13-F Kenosha Pier
Jump
6.
Sun. 05/22 Terrell Burton 19-M St. Joe Pier jump
7.
Wed. 06/08 Jorge Martinez 55-M Chicago swimming
8.
Sun. 06/19 John Doe 5-M Chicago Fall
from pier
9.
Fri. 06/29 Steven Link 42-M Sheboygan WI Step-off
10. Sat. 07/02 Timothy Judge 44-M Muskegon Scuba
11. Sun. 07/03 Tyon
McNeil 5-M Covert Unknown
12. Mon. 07/04 Chris
Szmajlo 29-M Chicago Boating
13. Fri. 07/15 Jane Doe ?-F
Racine Unknown
14. Fri. 07/15 Mark Tuthill 47-M
Portage Step
off
15. Sun. 07/17 Marche Wilburn 6-F Gary Ind. Unknown
16. Sun. 07/17 Mark Morley 51-M
Charlevoix Sailing
17. Sun. 07/17 Suzanne Bickel 41-F Charlevoix Sailing
18. Wed 07/27 Sharon
Walsh 69-F Chicago unknown
19. Mon. 08/01 Javier
Rivera 19-M Chicago Swimming
20. Mon. 08/01 Mark
Urness 53-M Frankfort swim
from boat
21. Tues. 08/02 Chandra
Aravind 33-M Chicago Boating
22. Wed. 08/03 Delilah
Hope Perez 13-F Pentwater rip current
23. Sun. 08/07 Martin
Perez 8-M Mich. City rip current
24. Tues. 08/09 Daniel
Reed 46-M Saugatuck rip current
25. Tues. 08/09 Bradley
Stoner 22-M Saugatuck rip current
26. Wed. 08/10 Brett Vanetten 20-M Gary rip current
27. Thur. 08/18 Dolsey
Squires 41-F Northport Beach possible
rip current
28. Sat. 08/27 Willie Bogan 11-M
Racine rip current
29. Sat. 08/27 Pawel Lesney 33-M Gary IN rip current
30. Sat. 08/27 Tristan Shambee 14-M Wilmette, IL rip current
31. Sun. 08/28 Robert Klepacki 44-M Hagar rip current
32. Sun. 08/28 Rayan
Sami Bokhari 22-M Porter, IN rip current
33. Fri. 09/02 Pedro Martinez 32-M Muskegon, MI rip current
34. Sun. 09/04 Wojciech
Sadowski 25-M New Buffalo, MI rip current
35. Wed. 09/07 Phebe
Hall 54-F Holland rip current
36. Sun. 09/11 Jane
Doe 40s-F Chicago unknown
37. Sat. 10/01 James Garcia 51-M Chicago rip current
38. Wed. 10/05 Amit
Patel 31-M Chicago eluding
PD
39. Sat. 10/15 Mitchell
Fajman 18-M New Buffalo, MI Kayaking big waves
40. Sat. 10/15 Kevin
Bruins 33-M Holland, MI Jet
Skiing big waves
41. Sat. 10/15 Jay
Evens Farr 59-M Traverse City, MI Boat big waves
42. Sun. 10/16 Mayur
Patel 45-M Door County canoe
43. Sat. 10/22 Jane
Doe 40’s-F Chesterton,
IN Unknown
44. Mon. 12/26 James
A. Kerechek 55-M Chicago, IL Unknown
LAKE ERIE
45. Sun. 05/22 Donald
Morrow 55-M East Harbor Fall
from dock (etoh)
46. Tues. 06/14 Susan
Zatek 55-F Monroe Fishing
47. Tues. 06/28 Zachary
Wadding 18-M Ripley N.Y. rip current
48. Tues. 06/28 Joselito
Irizarry 30-M Edgewater Pier
Jump
49. Sun. 07/03 Daniel
Abel 53-M Kelley’s Isle Boating
50. Thur. 07/20 Herman
Teichroeb 24-M Port Burwell Swimming
51. Tues. 07/26 Aiden
Nicoll 7-M Presque Isle rip
current
52. Wed. 07/27 John
Doe 27-M Presque Isle Swimming
from boat
53. Sat. 07/30 Paul Spanitz 37-M Grosse Ile unknown
54. Sun. 07/31 John
Doe ??-M Kelleys Island Swimming from boat
55. Sun. 07/31 Darylle
Phoeur 17-M Avon Lake rip current
56. Tues. 08/23 Antron
Davis 25-M Cleveland unknown
57. Sat. 08/27 Vincent Hermano 43-M Euclid kayaking
58. Sat. 10/22 Pam
Holstein F-51 Cedar Point Boat
capsized
59. Sat. 10/22 Charles
Kaplan M-58 Cedar Point Boat
capsized
60. Tues. 11/22 Carl
G. Jennings M-75 Morin Point Boat
capsized/hunting
LAKE SUPERIOR:
61. Tues. 06/07 Kevin
Dammen 20-M Apostle Islands Kayaking
62. Mon. 07/11 Monty
Lyons 42-M Duluth unknown
LAKE ONTARIO:
63. Tues. 01/04 Porter
Simpson 7-M Niagara on the Lake Unknown
64. Sat. 02/06 John Doe ?-M Toronto Unknown
65. Sat. 06/25 John Doe 30’s-M
Toronto Unknown
66. Sat. 07/02 Jane Doe 50’s-F Toronto Unknown
67. Sun. 07/17 Visu
Vimalan 48-M Trenton Ont. rip current
68. Sun. 07/17 John
Doe 35-M Toronto Swim
from boat
69. Sun. 07/17 John
Doe 29-M Wasaga Beach
Ont. PWC
70. Tues. 07/19 Uche
Chuks’ 13-F Hamilton Ont. swimming from dock
71. Tues. 07/26 Shaylean
Richards 32-F Fair Haven rip current
72. Mon. 08/01 John
Doe 49-M Sandbanks rip current
73. Sat. 08/20 John Doe 25-M Rochester unknown
74. Sun. 09/04 Alex
Montgomery 14-M Ft. Niagara fall
(etoh)
75. Sun. 09/06 John
Doe 14-M Orilla, Ont. Unknown
76. Mon. 10/31 Alan
Shultz 66-M Sodus Point, NY Boat capsized
77. Tues. 11/22 Tracey
Bango 46-M Oswego County Kayaking/hunting
78. Sun. 12/04 Ashley
Lynn Ganyo 24-F Billings Park Car accident
LAKE HURON:
79. Sat. 02/26 Robert Quesnelle 40-M Georgian Bay Snowmobiling
80. Mon. 04/18 James
McComb II 20-M Port Austin Wash
from pier
81. Sun. 07/24 Jason
McLeod 20-M Port Franks Swimming
82. Sun. 07/24 Ragna
Bersenas 67-F Georgian Bay Swimming
83. Sun. 07/31 Jan
Raczychi 49-F Tobermory Scuba
84. Mon. 08/01 Donald
Dorey 42-M Long Point unknown
85. Thurs. 08/11 Jason
McDonough 36-M Sauble Beach unknown
86. Fri. 09/09 Zachary Marengeur 20-M Bruce P. Park rip current
87. Fri. 09/09 Gavin Marengeur 18-M Bruce P. Park rip current
2010 Great Lakes Drowning’s
74 (32 via Rip Currents)
Info
provided by the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project
Note: An
asterisk identifies a “would be rescuer”.
LAKE MICHIGAN:
1.
Tues 01/26 Mauricio Guaylias 27-M Chicago Unknown
2.
Tues 03/02 Richard Wieting, 53-M Montrose
(Chi.) Unknown
3.
Tues 04/18 John Doe -M Zion Unknown
4.
Sun 04/25 Ryan Lightfoot 28-M
Petoskey Canoeing
5.
Sun 04/25 Clifford Denay 27-M
Petoskey Canoeing
6.
Thurs 05/27 Katlyn LeClaire 13-F Escanaba step -off
7.
Sat 05/29 Kelvin Motsinger 9-M
Green Bay Unknown
8.
Wed 06/09 Sofia Khan 9-F Holland WI kayaking
9.
Wed 06/9 DeVale Thompson 16-M Whiting
Pier jump
10. Sat 06/19 Vidyasagar Kapoor 30-M Chicago Unknown
11. Tues 06/22 Antoine
Miller 21-M Waukegan swimming
12. Fri 06/25 Paris Bankhead 20-M Ill Beach St. Park swimming
13. Sun 07/04 Destiny Bahena 9-F Ind. Dunes rip
current*
14. Sun 07/04 William Lott 25-M Silver Lk. St. Park rip
current
15. Sun 07/11 Perla Solis
6-F Covert Park unknown
16. Fri 07/16 Jordy Graves 17-M South Haven rip current
17. Sat 07/17 James Savage 55-M Garfield Twp swimming
18. Fri 07/23 Mark Scheuer 49-M Grand Haven rip current*
19. Sun 07/25 Alfonso Quintero 26-M St. Joe rip current
20. Sun 07/25 Jeremiah Green 12-M
Racine unknown
21. Sun 07/25 Lindsay Bilka 17-F Muskegon MI rip current
22. Mon 07/26 Kristopher Kane 19-M Sheboygan WI rip current
23. Thur 08/05 Richard
Drake 67-M Covert Park rip current
24. Thur 08/05 Arther
Walker 71-M Covert Park rip current
25. Fri 08/06 Patrick Reymann 63-M Harbor
Springs kayaking
26. Sun 08/08 Cody Prentiss 15-M Calumet Park unknown
27. Wed 08/11 Roman
Bravo 19-M Ill. Beach St Park unknown
28. Sat 08/14 Anthony Goldsmith 44-M Ludington MI rip current
29. Sun 08/15 Enrica Lorenz 27-F Muskegon MI rip current
30. Mon 08/16 Ethan
Seitzer 10-M Berrien County rip
current
31. Mon 08/16 Dolsey
Lynn Squires 41-F Gr. Traverse Bay rip
current
32. Thur 08/19 Richard
Habermas 76-M Grand haven rip current
33. Sun 08/22 Lorenzo Greer 17-M
Mich. City IN rip
current
34. Sun 08/22 Scott Hoover 14-M Mich. City IN rip current
35. Fri 09/03 Timothy Horvath 26-M Lincoln Twp MI rip
current
36. Mon 09/03 Anupam
Bhattacharjee 26-M Ludington MI pier
wash-off
37. Sun 09/13 Daniel Logsdon 23-M Warren Dunes unknown
38. Sat 09/18 Timothy Spiller 49-M Ludington fall
from pier
LAKE ERIE
39. Mon 06/28 Andrew
Mooney 21-M Long Beach ONT rip current
40. Tues 07/06 Louis
Barba 16-M Sterling St. Park MI swimming
41. Thurs 07/08 Anthony
Alexander 17-M Mentor OH rip current
42. Sun 07/11 Chris Alkerton 18-M Rock Point ONT swimming
43. Wed 07/14 Victor
Arce Jr. 30-M Westfield NY swimming
44. Tues 07/27 Edwin
Acosta 41-M Cleveland OH swim/boat
45. Sun 08/08 Nate Polosito 14-M Westfield OH rip current
46. Mon 08/16 Marco
Butler 18-M Rock Point ONT rip current
47. Thur 08/19 John
Doe 40s-M Erie PA unknown
48. Thur 08/19 John
Doe 53-M Sherkston ONT rip current
49. Mon 08/23 Cynthia
Riediger 53-F Pelee Island ONT rip current*
50. Mon 09/06 Harallamb
Tasi 24-M Monroe MI swimming
51. Fri 09/11 Marshal Sharpe 58-M Hamilton ONT fishing
52. Sun 10/10 Mohammed Aljiboori 19-M Cleveland OH Unknown
LAKE SUPERIOR:
53. Sat 07/03 Marvin
Charette 18-M Red Cliff Unknown
54. Wed 07/21 Rod
Nilsestuen 62-M Picnic Rocks rip current
55. Thur 08/05 Elias
Jenkins 15-M Presque Isle rip current
56. Thur 08/05 Alex
Schuiteman 16-M Presque Isle rip current
57. Thur 08/05 Douglas
Smith 50-M Grand Marais rip current
58. Thur 08/05 Eric
Smith 16-M Grand Marais rip current
59. Fri 08/27 Devante Billups
18-M Picnic Rocks swimming
LAKE ONTARIO:
60. Mon 03/29 Jill
Williams 85-F Sodus N.Y. Unknown
61. Fri 05/28 Edward McMillon 20-M Rochester NY Pier
Jump
62. Wed 06/09 John
Doe 23-M Pt. Dalhousie fall
from pier
63. Fri 07/22 Justin Callahan 29-M Brighton ONT kayaking
64. Wed 07/28 Mehmet
Yilmaz 22-M Irondequoit Bay swim/boat
65. Fri 08/06 Richard Woodall 77-M Ellisburg ONT fishing
66. Thur 09/02 Michael
Steger 36-M Olcott NY fishing
LAKE HURON:
67. Sun 04/16 Lawrence Burack 61-M Saginaw Bay Fishing
68. Tues 06/29 Douglas
Rucinskas 5-M Bayfield ONT rip current
69. Tues 06/29 Andrew
Rucinskas 48-M Bayfield ONT rip current*
70. Sun 07/25 George Georgion Jr 16-M Lexington MI rip current
71. Tues 07/27 Joseph
Lathan 18-M Conneaut OH pier
jump
72. Sun 08/15 John Doe 10-M Georgan Bay canoeing
73. Mon 08/16 Oksana
Milovanovic 16-F Kincardine ONT rip current
Thurs 08/19 John Doe 24-M Sauble Beach ONT
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