Its not common knowledge that 66% of all drowning victims were good strong confident swimmers. Sitting in front of someone who has suffered a tragedy in their life and asking them questions is the hardest thing Ive done in my career as a journalist. 11/18/2018 Parents Preventing Childhood Drowning Sunday Survival Story: Swim Near a Lifeguard! 04/12/2018 WNDU New Buffalo City Council debates removal of lifeguards from budget City leaders say they are simply not equipped to have well-trained lifeguards on duty at the New Buffalo beach. By this time, it was 10:00 p.m. and she had been in the water six hours. Pratt says, drowning is the leading cause of accidental deaths in children ranging in age from 1 to 4. Good swimmers drown, Benjamin said. Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area, contains 10% of the worlds freshwater, and covers an area of 31,700 sq mi (82,000 km sq). All of these couldve easily been prevented, and once the person got in trouble, possibly survivable if the person knew survival drowning strategies, he said. 06/14/2020 NWI Times MICHIGAN CITY, IN BYSTANDER RESCUE NO LIFEGUARDS two kids were walking along the pier near the lighthouse at Washington Park Beach and ended up in the water. Dave Benjamin, executive director of the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, has been pushing for communities to use lifeguards on Great Lakes beaches. Its not a matter of if people will die from this fatal decision but when, said Dave Benjamin, executive director of the Great Lakes Rescue Project. The reason that some believe many of the sailors are still in the lake and have not surfaced is due to Lake Superior's cold water. Ingrid Torfa lives between two worlds. Sympathy Ideas. One of the biggest concerns with Lake Superior is the water temperature; it fluctuates very little in the summer time. 07/31/2020 WZZM Father drowns in Lake Michigan attempting to save his children Dave Benjamin, executive director of the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, says theres a common belief that tourists are more likely to drown than locals. 08/01/2017 Harbor County News Matthew Ramirez, M-4 a 4-year-old boy fighting for his life after being pulled from Lake Michigan at Warren Dunes State Park on Tuesday afternoon. Meteotsunamis are sort of the sharks of the Great Lakes, Benjamin said. Educators like Benjamin want the phrase Flip, Float and Follow to become as well known as the Stop, Drop and Roll instructions for those who catch on fire. When a swimmer gets in trouble, theres typically less than one minute until final submersion, he said. Cleveland Metroparks police arrived on scene and two officers, a lieutenant and a captain, dived into the water and rescued the occupant from the truck. Floating can calm people down. Even the gold letters of the ship's nameplate are still . With swimming season just getting started, this year could match that total. Most deaths occurred on Saturdays, suggesting people were visiting beaches close to home, not away on holiday. A full-time seasonal officer is also assigned to off-road vehicle patrol of the City Beach and state park, Hawke said. Preventing these drownings in the Great Lakes can be as easy as checking the weather report. Examples like this are out there. The psychology of men is that theyre more likely to take risks, to succumb to peer pressure and overestimate their abilities, he said. Last year was the first season the park had lifeguards on both sides of the creek for the entire week. It could be kayakers, people on paddleboards or other recreational activities. (Full Storyhere). Future of New Buffalo lifeguard program in doubt New Buffalo leaders are still debating the future of the citys lifeguard program. Brandon Schmidts mother, Brandi Donley, turned grief into resolve, and then action. Promote Your Business; Opinion. Two cousins a boy and a girl took a raft out near Montrose Harbor on a warm April afternoon, after the wind pushed them far into the lake. Cliff Schmidt is a marine investigator with nearly 40 years experience and a former deputy with the Hennepin County Sheriffs Department. Joseph R. ODonnell*, M-45, was found in the water near the Edgewater Yacht Club by Edgewater Park. 05/15/2017 ABC 57 As summer nears, experts warn about dangers of Lake Michigan Life-saving lessons along the lake shore. 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. Full statisticshere (74 drownings in 2010; 87 in 2011; 101 in 2012, 67 in 2013, 54 in 2014, 55 in 2015, 99 in 2016, and 88 to date in 2017). But if Pure Michigan can spend more than $30 million a year to bring people to water, which has billions of dollars in return through tourism, theres money out there.. 10/01/2020 Holland Sentinel Lake Michigan drownings reach 10-year high, 10/01/2020 Great Lakes Now Lake Michigan drownings surge to new high in 2020, 10/01/2020 Northwest Indiana Times UPDATE: Lake hazard warnings extended at NWI beaches, NWS says, 09/30/2020 WILX Lake Michigan drownings surge to new high in 2020, 09/30/2020 Manistee News Advocate Recovering drowning victims in Lake Michigan can be a difficult task, 09/30/2020 FlipBoard U.S. News & World Report Lake Michigan Drownings Surge to New High in 2020, 09/30/2020 South Bend Tribune Lake Michigan drownings surge to new high in 2020, 09/29/2020 WBBM News Radio 780 Chicago 2020 sees a record number of drownings in Lake Michigan, 09/29/2020 MLIVE Lake Michigan drownings reach record-breaking level in 2020, 09/29/2020 Wood TV 8 Great Lakes Surf group says Lake Michigan drownings have hit record high, 09/29/2020 CBS Detroit Authorities Urge Caution As Lake Michigan Drownings Reach 10-Year High, 09/29/2020 WFGR Grand Rapids Lake Michigan Drownings Reach 10-year High. 05/17/2017 The News Dispatch Staying safe in the Great Lakes MICHIGAN CITY Ten people per day in the United States drown. In this most recent drowning, a 10-year-old girl was swimming near the area where the Pike River meets the lake Saturday evening when she began having trouble in the water. We take the research, statistics and data and break it down, so beachgoers know its one of the leading causes of accidental deaths, which most people dont know, Benjamin said. I asked my dad, and he did it, too. Call or text during the show to 312-591-8900. Since 2010, the GLSRP said there have been 762 drownings in the Great Lakes. The diver, whose identity has not yet been released, was taken to Northshore Evanston Hospital where he was pronounced dead. This year already reports 5 deaths, again the majority on Lake Michigan. Its not common sense that panic is the first stage of drowning. Help. Benjamin said 46 people drowned in Lake Michigan last year, one of the worst years for the lake since the group started tracking drownings in 2010. 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 . Life jackets are required by law for anyone going out in a boat, but it does no good if they are not wearing it, Belanger said. According to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, there have already been at least five Great Lakes drownings this year, with three of them in Lake Michigan. 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. Its irresponsible to have that access to water without having lifesaving devices there, Benjamin said. 07/28/2020 Traverse City Record Eagle Torch Lake death adds to list of water-related fatalities 07/26/2020 Richard Church, M-57, 07/27/2020 WTTW 11 CHICAGO TONIGHT With Beaches Closed, Experts Warn of Increased Risk for Drowning. City Controller Yvonne Hoffmaster broke the news to the Michigan City Common Council during a workshop on city finances Tuesday. It's made Thunder Bay the highest per capita opioid death rate in Ontario. Thats one of our biggest worries. Ahmad Z. Adl, 34, was part of a group of five people who were camping at Harrington Beach State Park in Ozaukee County on Aug. 20 when they decided to go swimming about 1 p.m. A search was launched for Adl when he didnt return to shore. They didnt set any money aside in the budget for this summer or next. Flip, float and follow should be second nature to them the way stop, drop and roll is. East Harbor State Park has a 1,500-foot sand beach on Lake Erie. People can find themselves in potential drowning situations after going overboard on a boat, simply jumping into the water to cool off or becoming detached from a towing activity, like water skiing or tubing. When youre panicking, its an emotional and an irrational response to the situation. 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. 06/04/2019 Southtown Star Just because you know how to swim, doesnt mean you know how to survive As pool and beach season gets underway safety experts remind water lovers not to have a false sense of security because a lifeguard is on duty or because they know how to swim. He said they attribute this to the accessibility (beach access), population density in surrounding cities and the lakes configuration (strong currents). But doing that gives people a false sense of security that it wouldnt happen to them or their loved ones, said Benjamin. According to the Centers for Disease Control, one in five people who die from drowning in the United States are children age 14 and younger. To him, it speaks to a larger need for overall water safety education. 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. We heard a call come over the scanner that a man had fallen off the pier and hit his head, Michigan City Parks Superintendent Jeremy Kienitz said. But with that being said, its something to be considered.. Register by March 20for the early-bird rate of $49 ($59 after). 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. 09/10/2017 The Cutoff News Surfing the Region: Filmmaker brings documentary to NWI. And most importantly, Benjamin says you should always have life jackets when around any body of water. In 2015, Dave Benjamin, a spokesman for the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, an organization that seeks to prevent drownings in the Great Lakes, said Michigan enacted legislation that shields municipalities from lawsuits related to safety equipment near the water. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. A person easily can fall into hidden holes in shelf ice, with little chance of climbing out. The Lake Superior Zoo, previously known as the Duluth Zoo, is an Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited zoo in Duluth, Minnesota. If you go to a beach without lifeguards, you are on your own, he said. Published: Mar. Now there are warning signs so people understand the dangers of rip currents.. Flip, Float and Follow is the result of input from a variety of first responders and water safety groups that participated in the Great Lakes Water Safety Conference, sponsored by Michigan Sea Grant in 2011. Lake Superior State University is celebrating the end of 2020 with the release of their annual 'Banished Words List.' 1 weather alerts 1 closings/delays Watch Now 911 pinpoints their location, and dispatches] first responders even if their response time is 3 minutes their arrival time may be past the 10 minute mark.], Benjamin said. Benjamins regional nonprofit organization tries to prevent drownings through education and has tracked fatalities on all five lakes dating back to 2010. Indiana Dunes State Park, which has a large swath of beach in front of the pavilion, expanded its lifeguard corps last year to cover more territory, said property manager Brandt Baughman. In 2020 so far, there have been 54 Great Lakes drownings, with more than half (29) in Lake Michigan. The GLSRP is awaiting updates on these incidences. Its the time of year when thousands of you head to the beach. On Sept. 3, divers found the body of 32-year-old man in the water, days after he went into Lake Michigan from a boat. There were slightly fewer deaths on Lake Erie and no change in the number of deaths on Lake Superior. During the entire week of spring break, Kenoshas YMCA is offering free swim safety lessons. We couldnt go on at our current expenditures like nothing is wrong because we would have been out of money by July 15. He said he always begins with an informal survey that typically reveals about 90% of the students say they know how to swim. Unfortunately, a drowning person can climb all over you, and a drowning person can take you under, Benjamin said. 08/17/2022 CHICAGO PLAYPEN AREA FELL OFF BOAT Spencer Williams, M-29, Police said shortly before 7 p.m., Wednesday, their marine unit responded to a report that a person fell off a boat in the Playpen near the Jardine Water filtration plant. His body was recovered less than two weeks later. He pointed out at Tuesdays city council meeting they had trained rescue professionals in the water trying to find Young, but it was so bad that some of them got into trouble. 07/15/2019 WZZM 13 Water safety advocates continue push to bring back lifeguards on Michigan beaches The drowning of a boy in South Haven has ignited the debate again if Michigan beaches need lifeguards. Benjamin cites the 1-10-1 rule of hypothermia for anyone considering a swim in dangerously cold waters: One minute to control your breathing, 10 minutes until you are unable to move, one hour for hypothermia to set in. The city employs 30 lifeguards in the summertime, and the Police Department has a designated park patrol to help keep an eye on the water. For the victim, Benjamin said, panic is the first stage of drowning. Police said shortly before 7 p.m., Wednesday, their marine unit responded to a report that a person fell off a boat in the Playpen near the Jardine Water filtration plant, was pulled back on the boat. Each summer, tourists and locals in Michigan flock to beaches to cool off in the water. Plus most people think they know how to swim and are unaware how quickly a rip current can pull them or their companions away from shore. Knowing how to swim is not enough; you need to know how to survive.. Plus, if you take the boat out, be on the lookout hazards like vegetation or trees that couldve been washed off the shore line that are now submerged close to the water due to high water levels and wave activity. Inexperienced or non-swimmers should wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket. Half of those were in Lake Michigan, and half of those happened in the south end of the lake, here in Chicago, and in Milwaukee and Northwest Indiana. You have a better chance of survival in the Great Lakes if you have a life jacket. In addition, check local sandbar formations. It was the first mistake, of several, documented in the report. It's worth noting that just six drownings in Lake Michigan this year happened on red flag days or during severe weather conditions; two of the deaths occurred in Michigan (the . To date, the GLSRP is tracking 20 Great Lakes drownings in 2020. 07/06/2019 ABC 7 Swimmer missing near Michigan City as weather service warns of life-threatening waves, 07/04/2019 Cleveland 19 Lake Erie second deadliest Great Lake for drownings; total deaths down from last year. He was pulled from the water, taken to the hospital and died. We did one in Port Washington that was completed in four weeks. The project advocates for people to use the Flip, Float and Follow method, which tells the person who is struggling to flip over, float on their back and to not fight against the current. Floating also conserves energy. 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 township took action, James Schmidt said. Adults should constantly and actively watch their children. Theyll explain. Lifeguards are the gold-standard when it comes to beach safety, said Bob Pratt, education director at Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, a nonprofit which aims to eradicate Great Lakes drownings through water safety advocacy. 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. Flip over onto their back so they can breath when they want to, float to calm themselves down, float to conserve their energy and then follow a safe course back to safety. It has a volume of 2,900 cubic miles (12,000 cubic kilometers), making it the third most voluminous in the world. If they can do that, theyll have about 10 minutes until incapacitation sets in and a person loses the ability to move and is unable to swim to shore or climb back into a boat. Thats according to a tally by the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, a nonprofit water safety group that keeps a comprehensive database of Great Lakes drownings. So, instead of manning the lifeguard station, Swim At Your Own Risk signs will be installed, and the Michigan City Police Department will perform frequent beach patrols, he said. If you enter the water, ease your way in and wear a lifejacket. So much of our lakefront is right up to residences where kids have access to these parks and to the beaches and to the water and were doing nothing to protect them, said Halle Quezada of Chicago Alliance for Water Safety. 06/11/2017 PR Drownings continue to rise Lake Michigan leading the statistics Hot weekend, strong south winds can cause hazards Especially with beach toys GREAT LAKES, USA The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project (GLSRP) announces its current drowning statistics. A water safety advocate and other beachgoers are calling out local government officials after the city reportedly decided not to include lifeguards at Washington Park Beach for Summer 2020, including this weekend. A mayday was called and divers on the boat were able to locate the man and get him on-board. I dove down and got him off of the bottom of the lake, got him on a Coast Guard boat, and we transported him, and hes alive today. He said he hopes that this summer will be safer as people become educated to the dangers of Lake Michigan and Tuesdays training helps lifeguard teams to properly respond. And on a stand-up paddle board, he says, attach the leash to your ankle, which helps you to retrieve the board after you fall off. First, put on your personal flotation device and dress for the water temperature, which in Lake Erie Monday was about 38 degrees. In a statement, a family spokesperson explained Salvino talked to a friend via FaceTime 11:59 p.m. and said that he was walking to his apartment in the 800 block of West Lill Avenue and was about a half-mile away. Thats according to a tally by the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, a nonprofit water safety group that keeps a comprehensive database of Great Lakes drownings. The nonprofit annually tracks drownings in the Great Lakes and recently issued a warning about a summer spike in deaths. Luckily I survived. If a lifeguard has a bad day, someone might lose their life.. GLSRP is a non-profit group that tracks drowning statistics and performs presentations and training around the Midwest. GREAT LAKES, USA In 2019 the GLSRP tracked 97 Great Lakes drownings. 07/02/2020 Wood TV Family hopes memorial plaque reminds swimmers of Lake Michigan dangers. Lake Superior is a vast fresh water resource that has not experienced the same levels of development, urbanization and pollution as the other Great Lakes. Let that sink in and now truly understand that water safety is not common sense. 07/31/2017 The Journal Times Drowned teens life goal was to help people Water Safety Tips: Only one third of drownings that occur are due to dangerous currents, according to Dave Benjamin Executive Director of Public Relations for the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, a non-profit based in Illinois that educates school children about the dangers of water. They may not understand the need to check weather conditions before going out or realize the dangers of jumping off a boat to take a swim, he said. Thats why you need a survival strategy. Most folks know to stop, drop and roll when they catch on fire, he said, but many dont realize what to do when faced with a potential drowning situation in the water. And so far in 2019, the project is tracking seven drownings, and possibly an additional four, which happened in the last week. CHAPLEAU, ONTARIO ~~~~~~ February 5, 2021 (LSN) On January 30, 2021, at approximately 6:30 a.m., members of the Superior East Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to a residence where a 35-year-old person was found unresponsive and was later pronounced deceased. Of the 2021 drownings, 15 occurred in Lake Michigan, compared to 12 a year . I want to get the word out and make this a wonderful turnout for this incredible deserving family.. Running a helicopter out of its summer birth in Muskegon (HH-65 Dolphin) costs about $10,000 per hour. Lifeguards are first responders and just as important as police and firefighters, he said Were a huge advocate for lifeguards. Absent them, its up to swimmers to know how to save themselves. Not yet. So far this year there have been five Great Lakes drownings, three of them in Lake Michigan. Youre in the water and see a swimmer in trouble. 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. In 2017, the GLSRP is tracking 25 Great Lakes drownings. 10/31/2018 UP Matters Stay off piers, breakwaters during high winds, storms, wave action Water Dangers. So, thats what motivated me to take the position that this year were not going to have lifeguards., 05/11/2020 HF Chronicle After nearly drowning, Homewood man works for prevention. 10/08/2022 TOWN OF EVANS, N.Y. Lake Erie Beach Park Point Breeze area John Doe, M-48 According to police, a man was pulled from the water and citizens at the scene initiated resuscitation efforts. 2. (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. 08/27/2018 9 and 10 News Ohio Man Dies After Falling Off Frankfort Pier into Lake Michigan. Monitoring for other issues also is key, he said. But according to Mulligan, safety concerns arent what a general management plan is designed to tackle. All in a matter of seconds. If you want to survive a drowning incident, you have to stay at the surface and continue breathing, by treading water and floating or having a flotation device with you, he said. When firefighters arrived, lifeguards had the man out of the water on a board, and firefighters assisted in carrying him over the wall and back to the beach, the report said. Weve had 660 drownings in the Great Lakes since 2010, he notes. Once you are floating and calm, find the safest route out of the water. The configuration of Lake Michigan as well as its residential population density and tourism population density creates a higher probability for accidents; i.e. Since 2010, the Great Lakes Rescue Project has recorded 631 drownings in the Great Lakes. So far in 2020, eight other people have died of drowning in Lake Michigan, according to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. They will decide if they want to move forward with lifeguards, and if they do then we will schedule public meetings for the residents to come in and express their opinions, said Richards. We train harder than professional athletes in many cases. 10/09/2020 Spartan News Room Is Lake Michigan the most dangerous Great Lake? Its risky to have lifeguards on duty. The most recent drowning in Lake Erie according to the GLSRP occurred Friday morning when a man jumped out his boat near Put-in-Bay. And canceling lifeguards is a huge setback, Benjamin said. Their backs are to the water, so it could be lifeguards serving as social distance ambassadors, but theyre not lifeguarding, Quezada said. Share: In light of civil litigation from the 2020 Kenosha protests, we learn more about wrongful death lawsuits. Earlier this week Newschannel 3 spoke with South Haven City Manager Brain Dissette. The initial lack of response was not concerning for Parry, he said, as it would be months until lifeguards would be needed. 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. Great Lakes drownings Three of the warmest summers this decade have also brought the three highest numbers of annual drownings. 11/05/2022 SHEFFIELD LAKE, OH northeast of the Domonkas Branch Library, 4125 Lake Road Evan Zeller, M-30, of Sheffield Lake Three individuals, a husband, wife and a friend were kayaking in Lake Erie when the husband took on the water and capsized. Lake Superior is the largest of the Great Lakes. Being in the water, practicing swimming and floating, helps, but learning the technique could be drilled into students in an auditorium. 09/18/2020 NWI Times Beach hazards, frost predicted across Region, 09/18/2020 KPC News Beach hazards, frost predicted across Region. Send flowers, find service dates or offer condolences for the lives we have lost in montana. 05/30/2017 My North Splash into Summer at the Sleeping Bear Dunes Water Adventure Expo. Each year since 1994, Lake Superior Magazine has chosen an organization or individual to honor for making a significant contribution to the well-being of Lake Superior and its people. 03/28/2017 WSBT Lake Michigan drownings up 84% in 2016; 19 Great Lakes Water Safety presentations in 9 Michigan City schools this week, 03/27/2017 Northwest Indiana Times Lake Michigan was deadliest Great Lake last year Water Safety School Presentations this week in Michigan City, 03/26/2017 PR Great Lakes Drownings up 78% Last Year over 2015; Water safety presentations this week for Michigan City, 03/20/2017 UpNorthLive Increase in drownings brings high need for water safety education, 03/19/2017 PR 2016 Great Lakes Drownings increased 78% over 2015; Water Safety School Presentations this week in Benzie County, MI. 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. He was unresponsive and was aken to shore and then to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in critical condition. Malewitz says after a very heated public meeting, the city council decided to stay the course for now, and keep lifeguards on New Buffalo beaches. It gives people a false sense of security. However, they were dressed in light clothes, with just a few supplies, a couple packs of cigarettes, a lighter, flashlightand a cell phone. The Wisconsin family of five had launched a tandem kayak that afternoon to paddle to an island about 4 miles away, but the kayak capsized. 08/28/2018 NPR: Ideas Stream It has been a deadly year on Lake Erie. She discussed the citys cash flow projections through September and other additional revenues, noting that if the casino and park were to remain closed throughout the summer, the Municipal Fund would go into the red by October unless the city were to borrow from itself or another source. 07/27/2019 The Sandusky Register How can Nickel Plate be safer? Overall it was a deadly weekend on the Great Lakes, with at least a dozen drownings reported, three in Lake Michigan. We were still resolving the $3.4 million shortfall that we discovered shortly after I took office in January.. If you go to a beach and you see red flags flying and hundreds of people in the water, what message does that send? Benjamin said. There were 298 drownings on Lake Michigan since 2010 making up about 46 percent of total drownings on the Great Lakes in the past eight years. 25 Posts. In this capacity, the Great Lakes CoastWatch program obtains, produces, and delivers environmental data and products for near real-time monitoring of the Great Lakes to support . 05/01/2017 infoSuperior Statistics Show Spike in Lake Superior Drownings What if rescuers didnt have to enter the water? But the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project attempts to compile numbers by monitoring media and police reports. Nearly 750 people have drowned in the Great Lakes since tracking began in 2010. There have been 892 drownings in the Great Lakes since 2010, with the majority occurring in Lake Michigan, according to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. The 17-year-old boy was with friends when he jumped off the north pier at the harbor and was overcome by strong currents Thursday.