
07/26/2019
Please wear a life jacket and be mindful of weather conditions that can change very quickly on the Great Lakes.
We have had 64 drownings on the Great Lakes since January 1st. We share this tragic statistic to bring awareness to the potential dangers of the lakes. Cold water, rip currents, boating under the influence, boating without a lifejacket, not filing a float plan with someone on shore, not having signaling devices/EPIRBs/VHF radio are all contributing factors in these deaths.
On Monday morning a 57-year-old woman was rescued after spending more than 14 hours in the water after falling off her jet ski the night before. She likely survived because she was wearing a lifejacket.
Friday morning, two men were rescued from their capsized boat. They were stranded for nearly 16 hours. Luckily, they were both wearing lifejackets and had a flashlight to signal to the helicopter crew.
We need to be aware of the danger and then know what we can do to prevent or lessen it. Know the conditions of the lake. Know the water temperature. Know the weather. And when you learn, share that knowledge with others! We can all contribute in saving lives by spreading information. One person might decide to wear their life jacket this weekend all because you shared a post!