HERE ARE OTHER CRITICAL LIFE-SAVING TIPS FROM THE GREAT LAKES WATER SAFETY CONSORTIUM :
Life Jackets are Cool - Drowning ? Not so much . Navy Seals are the best swimmers in the world , and they wear them . You don ’ t put your seat belt or bike helmet on as you ’ re crashing . Don ’ t just bring it , wear it !
Flip , Float , and Follow - If you get caught in a strong current or other drowning situation , you should flip , float and follow . First , flip onto your back and float , keeping your head above water . Floating can help calm you down and helps to conserve your energy . Finally , follow the current until you no longer feel the pull , and it is safe to try and swim back to shore . Never try to fight a current . Also , if you are close to the shore , call out for help .
Stay Dry When the Waves Are High -
Waves can not only create dangerous currents , but they also can crash over structures like piers , knocking people off of them . It doesn ’ t take much water to knock an adult off their feet and into the water , where they may injure themselves on rocks alongside the pier or end up in the water at risk for drowning . It is best to stay away from the water when the waves are high .
Break the Grip of the Rip - Rip currents , the most well-known type of current , can occur at any beach when there is wave action . Rip currents have always been in the Great Lakes , and they can be even more dangerous than those in the ocean because the escape time between waves is often less . People caught in these currents find themselves being pulled out into deeper water , even while actively swimming against the current . These channels and currents can form and change location very quickly when there is high wave action . If you get caught in a rip current , don ’ t fight the current , but swim parallel to the shore until you leave the channel and can swim back to the beach . `
Steer Clear of the Pier - Structural currents occur where a structure , like a pier , changes the flow of the water as waves bounce off the beach . They may occur at fixed locations such as groins , jetties , piers , or other man-made structures where water can be funneled out to open water in a narrow channel . In areas with structures , structural currents may result when longshore currents running parallel to the shore are deflected offshore by the structure . Even in calm weather , these currents can exist , unseen below the surface of the water .
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Summer 2021 • Park District of Highland Park 17