Lakeside Community in Michigan Enhances Safety for Swimmers This Summer

Summer is supposed to be one of the most carefree times of the year!

Unfortunately, a fun day at the lake can turn tragic in mere seconds. It should go without saying, but make sure you check the conditions at the lake before you dip even a toe in the Great Lakes.

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There were a couple consecutive summers in recent memory where Michigan reported near-record breaking drowning victims. The summer of 2020 was especially tragic as 53 people lost their lives in the Great Lakes. Thankfully, local lakeside communities have taken steps to ensure locals and tourist can safely enjoy a day at the lake:

Life Jacket Loaner Stations

The concept is simple: need a life jacket? Take a life jacket. When you're finished enjoying your time in the water simply return the jacket to the station so it may protect future swimmers. Easy as that!

I first noticed these new life-jacket loaner stations when visiting beaches in South Haven, Michigan-- which unfortunately seemed to be a dangerous hub for drownings several years ago. Despite all the drownings South Haven officials are still debating whether or not to staff lifeguards at city beaches. Now another popular beach in West Michigan has added their own stations:

Oval Beach in Saugatuck

Over the winter the City of Saugatuck shared details on a new project that will help keep swimmers safer this summer writing on social media,

Exciting news for Oval Beach visitors! Thanks to the incredible efforts of Eagle Scout Anthony Carlotto, we now have a Life Jacket Loaner Station to help keep everyone safe while enjoying the water. A huge THANK YOU to Anthony for his hard work and dedication to this important project—job well done!