Lifesaving tactics on the lakefront: What is the ‘stop, drop and roll’ of water safety?
CHICAGO — We all know stop-drop-and-roll when it comes to fire safety. Now water safety experts want you to learn another trio of lifesaving tactics.
The beauty of Lake Michigan is clear but it's danger is murky.
Dr. Michelle Macy is a emergency medicine physician at Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago.
"When we think about the beaches along our Chicago coastline and up into the North Shore, we've got a lot of different jetties and break walls that are sticking out," she said.
The structures – combined with wind — can stir up currents that pull swimmers out unexpectedly.
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"When the winds are coming into the lake from the East, we get big waves and that can change the currents. But when the wind's coming from the West people can get into trouble," she said. "When they are on a float or on a raft or on a boat and they can get pulled way away from shore and into a spot where they are not able to get back to safety."
There is a warning system along the shore. Flags indicate conditions. Green means go –the beach has a lifeguard on duty and water is safe. Yellow, proceed with caution. And red means stay on shore and out of the water.
"There are either no lifeguards available when we have red flags up or the water conditions are too dangerous to rely on anybody's individual swimming skills to stay safe," Macy said. "Those lifeguards are tuned into the weather, they are tuned into the changing circumstances and so if they make a call yellow or red people need to respect that be mindful of it it's the safest way to go."
Even the most proficient swimmer – perhaps tempted by the alure of big waves — is no match for mother nature. It takes only minutes to drown.
"Even the strongest swimmers, Olympic level athletes, if they get pulled out into a current if a wave goes over their head while they are taking a breath they are not going to be able to recover out of that," Macy said.
Macy explains the dangers if you do get caught in a dangerous current.
"You can kind of lose your sense of swimming strength. You could get a wave that puts water in your mouth and you are coughing and sputtering," she said. "You can also get a panic sensation when you are getting dragged out away from the water."
The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project advocates a strategy for survival. Think flip, float and follow. It's critical to flip on your back and keep your head out of the water – that helps you conserve energy and stay calm. In some cases, you can float or swim along with the current toward a safer spot that puts you closer to land. Or, you may have to float until a rescue crew arrives. And if you see a struggling swimmer, don't go in. Call for help from a lifeguard or 911.
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"There are now life rings all up and down the coastline, so throwing a life ring, throwing something else that floats or reaching out to that person, but don't put yourself at risk," Macy said. "Can't emphasize enough. We don't want to be seeing people in a situation where they need to be recused or when we are in a situation where they haven't been found and we are now in in a recovery circumstance."
Life jackets are a critical safety tool when boating, but Macy says they are not being used as consistently as they should be. One to 4-year-olds drown in swimming pools. Parents have to be extra diligent around water of any kind.
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