GREATLAKES, USA –While Port Washington residents await the body recovery of Tyler Buczek and mourn his loss, the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project (GLSRP) announces its current drowning statistics. Tyler is one of the eight drownings over the Labor Day Weekend, increasing 2012’s Great Lakes Drownings to 88; 249 since 2010 (74 in 2010; 87 in 2011).
Tyler Buczek, 15, an 8th grade valedictorian and incoming freshman quarterback disappeared in the waves at aPort Washington beach as his closest friends watched. Tuesday was supposed to be his first day of high school. One of his friends wasquotedas saying, 'We're all freshmen. It supposed to be we're all happy, we're in high school. But I don't think that's going to be how it is this year.'"
About the same time 30 miles north in Sheboygan the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project completed its water session of its "Water Safety Surf Rescue" class, as 61 year-old, Karl W. Schmidt was pulled out of Lake Michigan unresponsive just 350 yards north the class’ location (pictured above). Schmidt went out into the water to assist his 9-year-old grandson who went swimming too far from shore. The boy was assisted to shore by other beachgoers who moments later noticed that his grandfather had not returned to shore.
"How many more of these stories will we have to hear before water safety becomes a top priority on the Great Lakes," askedDave Benjamin, Executive Director of the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project?
“These drowning numbers do not happen on the East Coast or West Coast combined, and 99% of drownings are preventable.”
“The Lakes need Open Water/Rough Water lifeguards with rescue boards, the updated rip current survival strategy "FLIP, FLOAT, and FOLLOW" [1], updated beach signage tailored for the Great Lakes [2], warning flags, etc. Although some may think summer’s almost over, we could still have a lot of warm weather and drownings continuing into the fall.”
[1] the current rip current survival strategy "Don't panic" is ineffective and "Swim Parallel" to shore may not always work because of flash rip currents, longshore currents, and structural currents]
[2] current rip current signage was designed for the oceans and not accurate for the Great Lakes
What everyone should know before they put their toes in the water:
· 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
Overview of the Deadly Holiday Weekend
On Thursday 08/30, Brian Rolston, 16, became the 81st person to drown in the Great Lakes when he was swimming in shallow water but in heavy surf at Van’s Beach, MI and a rip current swept him into deep water and he slipped beneath the surface.
On Friday, 08/31 Jeremy Gerber, 36, became the 82nd person to drown in the Great Lakes – waters were turbulent with high winds causing waves almost one metre high at Sauble Beach, Canada
On Saturday Chicago area man, Paul DeTrano, went missing while swimming north of Holland, MI. His body is found on Tuesday and he is presumed to have drowned.
On Sunday:
--a 61 year-old male, Karl W. Schmidt, drowned at Deland Park, Sheboygan, WI, trying to rescue his grandson;
--Tyler Buczek, 15, 8th Grade valedictorian, quarterback, tomorrow was supposed to be his first day of high school, near Port Washington, WI in Lake Michigan (*missing and presumed drowned).
--Sunday (09/02) during high winds and waves on Lake Huron, two men decided to jump from their boat for a swim. The boat was far from shore and the men were not wearing life jackets. The winds pushed the boat away from the swimmers and the remaining people on board had trouble steering the vessel because the operator of the boat was one of the men who had jumped in the water. Other boat passengers manage to rescue one of the men, but the other slipped under the water. The search resumes today.
On Monday 09/03 a 29 year-old male was pulled from Lake Erie near Long Point Provincial Park, Ont.
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The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, Inc. (GLSRP) is about saving lives. It is a nonprofit corporation that is aChapterof the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA) thattracks drowning statistics, teaches “Water Safety Surf Rescue” classes, and leads the “Third Coast Ocean Force” rip current awareness campaign on the Great Lakes.
It has been selected topresent at the 2nd International Rip Current SymposiumNov. 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”awardwinner; and apresenterat the NDPA’s 11thAnnual Symposium in San Diego, March 9, 2012.
2012 Great Lakes Drownings
(88 as of September 5)
(Info provided by the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project)
LAKE MICHIGAN
1. Sun. 01/08 John Doe M-30s Chicago
2. Tue. 01/24 Brittany Finley 22-F Oak Creek, WI
3. Sun. 02/05 John Doe M-50s Chicago
4. Fri. 03/02 Talmadge “Todd” Channell 35-M Chicago ?
5. Sun. 03/04 Philip Patnaude 28-M Chicago Fell in Harbor
6. Mon. 03/05 Rasheed Mariano 17-M Waukegan, IL Pier Jump
7. Sat. 03/10 Peter Dougherty 24-M Port Washington, WI Kayaking
8. Mon. 03/26 Jane Doe ?-F Chicago
9. Wed. 04/11 Willie Edward Hurse 33-M Beverly Shores, IN
10. Sun. 04/22 David Dickerson 43-M Grand Traverse Bay Canoe
11. Wed. 05/19 Maurice Blandin 21-M North Ave. Beach, IL ?
12. Thur. 05/24 Lexie Adu 15-F Chicago, Loyola Park Rip Current
13. Sat. 05/26 Jane Doe 36-F 59th Street harbor ?
14. Mon. 05/28 Jorge Garduno 20-M Zion, Illinois Swimming
15. Sat. 06/02 Ling Lang Zou 24-F Ludington, MI ?
16. Tues. 06/12 George Sosa 14-M Chicago, IL North Ave. Beach
17. Fri. 06/15 Christian Ouding 13-M Grand Haven, MI
18. Mon. 06/17 Leonel Dominguez 31-M Beverly Shores, IN
19. Mon. 06/17 Joseph Hall 58-M Pere Marquette Park, MI
20. Tues. 06/19 Alexander Hines 26-M St. Joseph, MI Fall from pier
21. Wed. 06/20 Maleisa Brown 3-F South Haven, MI
22. Wed. 07/04 Mahlik J. Harris ?-M 31St Street Beach, Chicago
23. Sun. 07/08 Corey McFry 15-M Portage, IN Possible Rip Current
24. Thur. 07/12 Romero Roundtree 16-M Chicago, IL
25. Sun. 07/15 Dr. Victoria Kut 44-F Lake Forest, IL
26. Fri. 07/20 Nacere Bradley 5-M West Beach, Gary, IN
27. Fri. 07/20 Craig A. Hoffman 44-M Eichelman Park, Kenosha, WI
28. Sat. 07/21 Robert Moran 18-M Cross Village Beach, MI
29. Fri. 07/27 Ron Washington 60-M Burton Place, Chicago, IL
30. Fri. 07/27 Ayanna Patterson 12-F North Avenue Beach, Chicago, IL
31. Sun. 08/05 Dr. Donald Liu 50-M, Cherry Beach, Chickaming, MI
32. Sun. 08/05 Anthony Kelly 41-M, Tiscornia Beach, St. Joseph, MI
33. Sun. 08/05 John Doe 40-M, Peterson Beach, Benzie County,
34. Fri. 08/10 David Diener 21-M Sheboygan, WI *recovery mission
35. Fri. 08/10 Kurt K. Netzer 37-M Sheboygan, WI
36. Thur. 08/16 William Sorokin 67-M Ludington, MI
37. Thur. 08/16 Ray Finholm 59-M Ludington, MI
38. Tues. 08/21 John Doe 34-M Menominee, WI
39. Wed. 08/22 David Patarozi 68-M Belmont Harbor, Chicago
40. Thur. 08/30 Brian Rolston 16-M Van’s Beach, MI Rip Current
41. Sun. 09/02 Karl W. Schmidt 61-M Deland Park, Sheboygan, WI
42. Sun. 09/02 Tyler Buczek 15-M Port Washington, WI
43. Sat. 09/01 Paul DeTrano 36-M Holland, MI
LAKE SUPERIOR
44. Mon. 06/11 Jeffery Carlos Watson Jr., 13-M Duluth, MN
45. Sun. 06/17 Robert Weitzel 57-M Pigeon Bay Point, MN Kayak
46. Tues. 06/26 Derril Yerigan 52-M Whitefish Point, MI Scuba Diving
47. Thur. 07/05 William Jaksha 54-M Ontonagon
48. Wed. 07/11 Rose Mary Marshall 89-F Grand Marais
49. Thur. 08/02 Charles Conklin 74-M Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
LAKE ONTARIO
50. Sat. 01/21 J. Doe ?-? Boulevard Club
51. Thur. 02/09 John Doe 47-M Burloak Waterfront Park
52. Sun. 02/26 J. Doe ?-? Queen’s Quay
53. Wed. 02/29 Mathieu LeClair 20-M Kingston, Ont.
54. Fri. 03/16 John Doe 20-M Toronto Fall
55. Fri. 04/13 Jane Doe ?-F Etobicoke Yacht Club
56. Sat. 04/21 David Tuttle ?-M Henderson, NY
57. Sun. 06/16 Marcos A. Peralta 27-M Fair Haven Beach Pier Jumping
58. Sun. 07/08 Dennis J. Ash 16-M Wilson, NY Swimming near Pier
59. Thur. 07/19 John Doe 24-M Bluffer’s Park
60. Sat. 07/21 John Doe 17-M
61. Tues. 07/24 Timothy D. Confer 33-M Sandy Creek
62. Sun. 08/05 John Doe 17-M Scarborough
63. Sun. 08/05 John Doe 22-M Scarborough
64. Sun. 08/05 Mustafa Ahmadi 26-M Whitby Ontario
65. Fri. 08/10 Victor O. Woolson 19-M Flat Rock
66. Fri. 08/17 Jane Doe 78-F Sandbanks Provincial Park
67. Fri. 08/31 John Doe 60’s-M Port Dalhousie
LAKE ERIE
68. Wed. 05/23 Gregory Gulko 45-M Point Pelee Sailing
69. Thur. 06/21 John Doe 22-M Lake Erie Harbor Pier Jumping
70. Wed. 06/26 Laura Recco 47-F Huntington Beach, Ohio Rip Current
71. Thur. 07/04 Anthony Norman 23-M Avon Lake, Ohio Fishing
72. Fri. 07/13 David Harder 07-M Port Burwell, Ont. Swimming
73. Fri. 07/13 Lisa Harder 10-F Port Burwell, Ont. Swimming
74. Sat. 07/14 John Doe 12-M Sherkston Shores, Ontario
75. Tues. 07/17 Terry Hansard 18-M Euclid Beach, Cleveland
76. Fri. 07/27 Charles D. McCarley 46-M Ottawa County’s West Harbor
77. Sun. 08/05 Walter Santos 43-M Long Point Park
78. Sun. 08/05 Slavisa Bugarcic, 34-M Mentor, OH
79. Mon. 08/13 Michael Foreman 34-M Avon Lake, Ohio
80. Mon. 09/03 John Doe 29-M Long Point Provincial Park, Ont
LAKE HURON
81. Sun. 07/01 Jeno Bujtas 27-M Grand Bend
82. Mon. 07/09 Mohammed Zindani 7-M Port Huron
83. Son. 07/22 John Doe 6-M Manitoulin Island
84. Mon. 07/23 John Doe 21 Mos-M Manitoulin Island
85. Sun. 07/29 John Doe 43-M Sarnia Yacht Club
86. Sat. 08/04 John Doe 30-M Lakeside Beach, Port Huron
87. Fri. 08/31 Jeremy Gerber 36-M Sauble Beach, Canada
88. Sun. 09/02 Gordon Van Dyke 53-M Bayfield, Ont.
2011 Great 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