![]() One of the forecasters Dave Guenther (now retired) agreed to join the group, and get forecasts started on the Great Lakes. Eventually, they reached out to the National Weather Service in Marquette, Michigan to see if they could start a forecast on the Great Lakes to alert the public about dangerous waves and currents. In memory of Travis, the Brown Family started the Mackinac Water Safety Review team, which included Michigan Sea Grant, local law enforcement, and other members of the community. Prior to that incident, people didn't think rip currents could happen on the Great Lakes. In 1998, 12 year old Travis Brown drowned in a rip current at a Lake Michigan beach along US-2 in Mackinac County, Michigan. ![]() These beaches are all safe and fun to swim at, however beachgoers must remain alert to the changing weather and wave conditions and heed the advice of park patrol and lifeguards. For example: Porter County Indiana, which includes the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, recorded 30 current-related incidents between 2002-2020, however over 2 million people visit the Indiana Dunes park alone EACH YEAR! Similarly, Ottawa County in Michigan has seen more than 130 incidents over the years, however they also see around 2 million visitors per year at Holland State Park alone. It is important to realize that although there are many incidents that occur at these beaches, the number of incidents must be kept relative to how many people visit the beaches each year. Beachgoers and the water safety community need to understand how, why, where, and when dangerous currents form. The Great Lakes see millions of visitors per year at State Parks alone, most within a 3-4 month period in the summer. Victim demographics were also collected to improve beach safety outreach and education efforts. This research improves National Weather Service beach forecasts and beach hazards statements. ![]() Case studies were completed on 703 current-related incidents to learn about where and when dangerous currents form. The National Weather Service in Northern Indiana maintains the Great Lakes Current Incident Database (GLCID), an 19 year archive of current-related incidents. Each summer there are an average of 12 fatalities and 23 rescues due to dangerous currents on the Great Lakes (10 year average). ![]()
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