Water safety - WKTV Journal

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

It is finally nice in West Michigan, which means lots of beach time, but as the recent scare this week at Grand Haven beach reminded many knowing how to handle a rip current is key to water safety.

Grand Haven State Park does not have lifeguards but does utilize a flag system to let beachgoers know conditions.

Under a new land use order that allows the Department of Natural Resources shutdown the Grand Haven State Park on Tuesday, June 21, after water conditions prompted several rescues. Under the new order, the DNR can prevent or fine a person who enters waters under their jurisdiction when certain conditions are present such as harmful bacteria, dangerous weather conditions or rough waves, as was such the case on June 21.

According to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, there has been 46 possible great lakes drownings so far in 2022, of which 19 have been in Lake Michigan. Lake Michigan is considered the deadliest lake of all the Great Lakes and one of the deadliest lakes in the United States due to the number of drownings.

One of the leading causes of those drownings are rip currents, channelized currents of water flowing away form shore at surf beaches.

To help raise awareness about rip currents, WKTV will be again airing the special “Respect the Power,” on June 28 at 9:30 a.m. and June 30 at 5 p.m. on Comcast Channel 25.

If caught in a rip current, relax and don’t swim against the current. Rip currents do not pull people under the water.

The video was produced by the Great Lakes Beach & Pier Safety Task Force and was created in memory of Andrew Burton Fox and Daniel Reiss, both who were swept off the Grand Haven pier and drowned in Lake Michigan.

According to Grand Haven officials, rip currents and powerful breaking waves are common in the area of the pier. But education, including recognizing what a riptide looks like and what to do if you are caught in one, can increase the chances of a happy outcome.

From the “Respect the Power” website, it states that the Great Lakes are better understood as inland seas rather than lakes. Storms, not the lakes, can easily generate waves up to 30 feet in the most sever weather. However, even smaller waves can be dangerous.

When waves break, water is pushed up the slope of the shore. Gravity pulls this water back toward the lake. When the water converges in a narrow, river-like current moving away from the shore, it forms what is know as a rip current. Rip currents can be 50 feet to 50 yards or more wide. They can flow to a point just past the breaking waves or hundreds of yards offshore. You can sometimes identify a rip current by its foamy and choppy surface. The water in a rip current may be dirty from the sand being turned up by the current. The water may be colder than the surrounding water. Waves usually do not break as readily in a rip current as in adjacent water.

Moving at one to two feet a second, sometimes up to eight feet which is faster than any Olympic swimmer, a rip current can sweep even the strongest swimmer away from the shore.

According to both the “Respect the Power” and the National Weather Service websites, if caught in a rip current, try to relax. A rip current is not an “undertow” and will not pull you under. Do not try to swim against the current as this is very difficult, even for an experience swimmer. If you can, swim parallel to the shore until you are out of the current, then swim directly toward shore. If you are tired, tread water and float and call and wave for assistance. The current will carry you to the end or head of the current, where once rested you can swim back to shore.

Some other water safety tips:

1. Learn to swim.

2. Check with a lifeguard or with the park’s current conditions board before entering water.

3. Never swim alone.

4. Never dive headfirst into unknown waters or shallow breaking waves.

5. Piers are navigational structures and not designed as walkways, proceed at your own risk.

6. Do not jump or dive off pier structures.

7. Avoid piers when waves begin to spill over the pier surface.

8. To avoid rip currents, avoid swimming in areas that are discolored with sand and has a choppy or foamy surface.

9. If caught in a rip current, swim parallel to shore (about 30-50 yards) to get out of the rip current before swimming to shore.

10. Protect yourself from the sun. Use sun screen.

Stay safe on the water with these practical tips aimed at keeping you and yours healthy, happy and well this summer. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Health Beat staff

Summer is in full splash mode.

From squirt guns and sprinklers to home spas, pools, lakes and oceans, water is synonymous with fun.

Not to throw water on the party, but let’s talk water safety before you grab the sunscreen. It could save a young life this summer.

Erica Michiels, MD, a pediatric emergency physician at Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, is passionate about helping families avoid the very real danger of drowning.

“Most water-related trauma is preventable,” she said. “If I can help families take steps to avoid the devastating results of water accidents, I’m going to do it.”

Practice home water safety

While it’s not just a summertime thing, we have to start by saying that for families with kids younger than 4, water risks start at home, with the bathtub.

“Of course a parent isn’t thinking it’s risky to run to the kitchen from the bath for just a minute,” Dr. Michiels said. “But even one minute can be too long. My No. 1 rule is that there must be 100 percent supervision of every child from 0 to 4, every time there is water that goes beyond a Dixie cup.”

The greatest risk for kids under 4 is accidental water entry. If a child can get to water of any kind, there is significant risk. Swimming pools and spas must be securely covered and kept off limits with fencing and secure gates around a pool. A small child can slip under many pool covers.

Check gate latches to make sure unsupervised children can’t access the area. And treat a shallow kiddie pool with the same deference.

“If a toddler slips in unsupervised, it might as well be an ocean,” she said.

Beach and open water safety

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that 10 children die per day from water-related incidents in America. Families living near the Great Lakes and other inland lakes may be at even higher risk.

Enjoying the beach is fantastic family fun. Practicing a few safety precautions will make sure the day stays fun.

“Make it easy by keeping kids in personal flotation devices all the time,” Dr. Michiels advised. “They can still play in the sand while wearing a (life jacket). And it gives you time if something goes wrong.”

That said, Dr. Michiels stresses that a life jacket is not a substitute for supervision. A designated responsible adult should be assigned to specific children within the group.

“There are lots of examples of children who drowned when handfuls of adults were nearby, but no one was specifically assigned to watch the kids,” she said. “Designating certain children to certain adults adds protection from a child being overlooked.”

Creeks, rivers and boating

Creeks and rivers add a potentially dangerous element. The current can sweep a child out of reach and out of sight quickly. Never allow play on the banks without a watchful adult for every child.

Properly fitting life jackets, barricaded play areas and even the controversial toddler leads can prevent a tumble into the water.

As kids get older and become stronger swimmers, it’s easy to overlook ongoing risk. Additionally, teens may have opportunities to participate in boating and personal watercraft activities.

Dr. Michiels offered more smart talk for water safety and teens:

A personal flotation device must be worn, even if you are a good swimmer.
Complete a boating safety course.
Only allow the number of riders for which the personal watercraft or boat is designed to carry.
No horsing around, whether on piers, docks, boats, rafts or personal watercraft.
Discuss the dangers of alcohol and drugs with boating. Many boating fatalities involve drinking or drugs.

In case of emergency

Dr. Michiels said the best practice to assist a child (or any person) who is pulled from the water has changed in recent years.

“If you pull a child from the water and they cough, sputter but are awake, call 911 and stay with them,” she said. “The child may not be able to catch his or her breath, but we no longer advise trying to pump or extract inhaled water. If the child is limp and not breathing, call 911 and start CPR compressions immediately.”

Previously the medical community advised the rescuer to determine if the child was breathing and try to extract water. Today, rescuers are advised to start compressions immediately only if the victim is limp and unresponsive.

Don’t want to risk it? Splash Pad it!

To enjoy water when you don’t have enough supervision to ensure the safety of multiple tykes, check out splash and sprinkler parks near you.

These are often free, and offer crazy fun water play without drowning risk. That said, if the area is concrete, scrapes, stitches and even bone breaks are possible. Many splash parks feature rubberized surfaces.

Just use common sense and take a minute to assess when you arrive.

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.