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
Chicago Surgeon Posthumously Nominated for
Lifesaver of the Year Award
99
Great Lakes drownings / 260 since 2010
GREAT LAKES, USA – Chicago’s
Dr. Donald Liu has been posthumously selected as a "Top 10
Finalist" for the National Drowning Prevention Alliance's annual "Lifesaver
of the Year" award. (Vote here: http://a.pgtb.me/6qcjXK).
On August 5,
2012, Liu, 50, a pediatric surgeon at the University of Chicago Comer
Children's Hospital, was with his family on a weekend getaway when he noticed
two 12 year-old children struggling in the heavy surf of Lake Michigan’s
dangerous currents.
He swam out in
an attempt to save them both, but he got caught in the currents as the children
made it to shore. Unfortunately Liu was
swept away, and became the 69th person
to drown in the Great Lakes in 2012.
Dr. Jeffrey
Matthews, chairman of surgery at the University of Chicago was quoted in the
Medias saying, “We know given the same set of circumstances he would do it
again. He would do anything for
children. It’s what he did every day. He really died a hero.”
“Don Liu was
full of life and energy and excitement for his specialty, a devoted doctor, and
a family man,” added Matthews. “He was all about the children, and his
enthusiasm inspired colleagues and the whole staff at Comer Children's
Hospital. That he died the way he lived, while saving children, is somehow
consistent and heart-wrenching at the same time.”
This Lifesaver
of the Year Award is an opportunity for Dr. Liu to be honored for his
lifesaving actions that day. The Award
is also an opportunity for him to continue saving lives through drowning
awareness and water safety initiatives, especially on the Great Lakes.
To date in
2012, 99 people have drowned in the Great Lakes and since 2010, 260 people have
drowned. Each and every one of these
drownings also has a tragic impact on family, friends, first responders, and
bystanders at the beach. Great Lakes
water safety awareness and education could possibly reduce these numbers to
zero.
Video - ABC 7 Chicago: http://abclocal.go.com/wls/video?id=8762651
Drowning Statistics: http://david-benjamin.blogspot.com/2012/11/2012-great-lakes-drownings.html
HOW TO VOTE
To VOTE for the
“2012 Lifesaver of the Year” award:
1. “Like” the NDPA Fan Page,
2. Click on the “Vote
for Your Lifesaver” tab (or click here)
3. Approve the Voting
AP (The AP ensures all participants are counted fairly. For instance, each
Facebook fan is allowed to vote once per day (every 24 hours). The software
must be able to access your profile information to know who is eligible to
vote.)
4. Then click the box
next to the photo of Dr. Liu to cast your VOTE!
NOTE: You may vote once per 24-hour period. Every vote every
day counts till Dec 31.
The winner crowned “Lifesaver
of the Year” (or representatives of the winner) receives an all-expense paid
trip for two to Fort Lauderdale, Florida for the 12th Annual National Drowning
Prevention Symposium from March 13-15, 2013. Hotel, airfare and conference fees
are covered in the prize package.
99
Great Lakes drownings / 260 since 2010
GREAT LAKES,
USA – The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project (GLSRP) announces its current
drowning statistics. There have been 99 drownings on the Great Lakes in
2012. Overall there have been 260 drownings on the Great Lakes since 2010
(87 drownings in 2011; 74 drownings in 2010).
“The Great Lakes are now at a
"pandemic-like" level. The number of fatalities should prompt
communities to completely rethink beach and water safety,” said Dave Benjamin,
executive director of the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project.
Benjamin said
the chief rule for swimming in the Great Lakes is respect for the water's
power. He encourages swimmers to follow the Michigan Sea Grant's "Flip,
Float, and Follow" strategy when caught in a dangerous
current.
"As long
as you are floating, you are alive. As long as you are struggling, you are
drowning. Also, now that we are into the
fall/winter season, everyone at the beach should know the 1-10-1
Rule of Hypothermia.”
SAFETY TIPS – What everyone should know before they put
their toes on the beach:
--When in doubt, don’t go out!
--Know the 1-10-1 Rule of
Hypothermia (especially in fall, winter, and spring)
--Know the Michigan Sea Grants “Flip,
Float, and Follow” Rip Current Survival Strategy
--Know the Signs
of Drowning
--Know the Great Lakes Dangerous
Currents
--Drowning Terms for the Media
to Discontinue
###
Become a
member
of the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. 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 presented 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.
2012Great
Lakes Drownings
(99 as of November 21)
(Info
provided by the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project)
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 06/09 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
74. Thurs 08/19 John
Doe 24-M Sauble Beach ONT