Recreation
VIDEO: Warm spring increases drowning risk
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With summer on the horizon, water safety folks discuss ways to stay safe while splashing.
Featured photo: UW Digital Collections
Recreation
Great Lakes surf rescue expert named national Lifesaver of the Year
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A firefighter who couldn’t swim until college now devotes time and energy to keeping people safe on the Great Lakes. Bob Pratt of Michigan was named 2011 Lifesaver of the Year by the National Drowning Prevention Alliance.
Water
Satellite system warns swimmers, treatment plants of harmful algae
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A system using satellite images and current predictions warns water treatment plant operators when to treat water to avoid four odors and taste. Now the forecasts are available to the public to help make swim decisions.
Recreation
Ocean-force rip currents threaten Great Lakes swimmers
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A group of Great Lakes surfers is teaching swimmers to protect themselves from rip currents, the primary reason for 74 Great Lakes drownings in 2010.
Fewer lifeguards means a greater need for such training.
Energy
State agency sets goal of all Great Lakes beaches open for swimming in 2014
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The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality’s mission to guarantee clean and safe recreational water resources includes an assessment plan to make the public aware of problems.
DEQ said it has five related goals: 1) enhance recreational waters, 2) ensure edible fish, 3) protect and restore aquatic ecosystems, 4) ensure safe drinking water and 5) protect public safety.
Water
Tips for Healthy Swimming
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The CDC recommends the following practices to protect swimmers from water-related illnesses:
Don’t swim when you have diarrhea. Shower with soap before swimming and wash your hands after using the toilet or changing diapers. Don’t swallow pool water and avoid getting water in your mouth. If the pool has a strong chlorine smell, it is usually an indication that the water is unhealthy. The smell comes when the chlorine is combined with bodily fluids such as saliva, urine, feces, sweat or body oils.
Recreation
South Haven to swimmers: Respect Lake Michigan
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(MI) Kalamazoo Gazette – You can’t be too safe swimming in Lake Michigan. That’s the message South Haven officials are sending to residents and visitors of this popular resort town. “The take-home message is to get people to respect Lake Michigan,” said Mayor Pro Tem Scott Smith, who is urging area schools to include an educational video about rip currents in their yearly curriculum. More