KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — The amount of Great Lakes drowning deaths are now higher than last year, with 51 total deaths occurring so far, up by two from last year.
Lake Michigan alone has had the highest amount of drowning deaths, clocking in at 27 this year and up from 15 last year at this time.
Lake Huron has had the second highest rate of drowning deaths this summer, with 11 drowning deaths and one missing boater.
Executive Director of Education for the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project Bob Pratt says that more education is needed to help prevent drownings.
“We teach kids how to ‘Stop, Drop, and Roll,’ we have a fire safety week in October, we need to do the same kind of thing for water safety, especially in the Great Lakes state,” Pratt said.
The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project teaches a “Flip, Float, and Follow” water safety procedure similar to the “Stop, Drop, and Roll” routine for fire safety.
“Flip over onto your back, calm yourself down, float to conserve your energy and see if you’re caught in one of these currents, and then follow a safe path out of it where you’re not fighting against the current,” Pratt said. “That’s really a deadly mistake to make, is to try and swim against the current to get back to safety.”
Dangerous water conditions on Lake Michigan also caused the Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival Parade of Ships to be canceled this week.
