Great Lakes Surf Rescue reminds the public to be mindful about water safety amid heat wave

With this latest heat wave sending people to our lakes and pools, water safety is at the top of mind for first responders and advocacy groups.

Following multiple incidents, some fatal, the water safety advocacy group says that being a strong swimmer is not enough, especially when fatigue and the heat are factored in.

What's been a busy summer already for emergency responders who operate on Lake Michigan and other bodies of water that have been packed, especially during heat waves like the one Chicago is under this week.

"What we're seeing is drowning and rescue incidents happening on a daily basis," said Dave Benjamin, co-founder of Great Lakes Surf Rescue. 

Benjamin got into water safety advocacy after surviving a drowning incident in Lake Michigan in 2010.

"Right now we're pretty much close to the middle of summer, and this is the peak drowning season," he said. "May through September is when we see the most drownings across the United States."

One of those incidents happened Monday night, when the body of a teenage boy, now identified as 15-year-old Brayan Monzanga, was pulled from Fox Lake's Myers Bay in the Chain O'Lakes area.

The Lake County coroner said Monzanga drowned after going into the water around 6 p.m. A GoFundMe page set up in his honor says he "tragically passed away yesterday in an accident while boating and swimming with friends."

Last week, a 51-year-old Indiana man died after being pulled from Lake Michigan at Warren Dunes State Park. Officials say green flags were flying and water conditions were calm.

"Water safety and drowning prevention is in critical condition, right? Drowning is a public health issue," Benjamin said.

According to the rescue project's data, over 35 people have already drowned in the Great Lakes this year, with a total of 81 drownings last year and over 90 the year before.

Nationwide, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there are about 4,000 fatal drownings in the U.S. every year. It's the leading cause of death for children between ages one and four.

"It's just having something as simple as a life jacket or some type of flotation device with you when you're entering the water," Benjamin said.

We know more people will head to our lakes as temperatures are expected to climb even higher this week.

"Whether it's at a public pool, a backyard pool, an inland lake, a great lake, swimming off of a boat, there's always actually great risk around water," he said.

Benjamin says there's a dire need for funding to help with drowning prevention and awareness.

"We should have a water safety school curriculum in every state in the United States, kindergarten through 12th grade," he said.

In Chicago, there are lifeguards on duty every day at 22 public beaches. That's a change from past years when we've seen lifeguard shortages. Swimming is only allowed when they're on duty.