Coast Guard stresses boating safety over holiday weekend

MILWAUKEE – It has been a particularly tragic summer on Lake Michigan with coastal areas tallying more deaths due to drowning than any previous year.

Law enforcement and environmental agencies have discussed a plethora of reasons for the stark increase in fatalities, including abnormally warm weather, increasingly strong rip currents and a rise in sales of small pleasure craft.

Many maritime law enforcement officials around Lake Michigan share the opinion that a general lackadaisical attitude towards water safety, which has become all too common around the lake, is a primary factor in many incidents.

During this year’s boating season, which runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day, Lake Michigan’s drowning death toll has reached 68, a staggering number compared to the 39 drownings recorded last season.

“The data does not point to one or even several commonalties in these cases; the victims have been of all ages, from many locations, and have not been isolated to either swimmers or boaters alone,” said Cmdr. Jerry Davenport, the chief of response for the Coast Guard around Lake Michigan. “The only congruity shared by every drowning case we have had this summer is that no victim was wearing a life preserver or flotation device.”

Historically, Labor Day weekend is one of the Coast Guard’s busiest weekends of the year. Coast Guard stations and command centers around the lake ramp up with staff and stage rescue vessels to prepare for distress calls and search and rescue.

In order to ensure safety for your family and friends it is important to be proactive when preparing for a day out on the water.

The Coast Guard at Sector Lake Michigan recommends that boaters take the following precautions:

Make a float plan: tell others where you are going and when you plan on returning
Make sure your boat is tuned up and safe for operation
Don’t drink and boat
Wear a lifejacket

For further information, contact the Sector Lake Michigan Public Affairs Officer at (414) 747-7151.

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