Racine drownings, water safety tips from dive team
RACINE, Wis. - Racine County sheriff's deputies spent Saturday, June 26 talking with beachgoers to help educate them on lakeshore safety.
It comes after Lake Michigan claimed the lives of two young people the previous weekend. A 10-year-old girl drowned at Zoo Beach, and a 17-year-old boy died at North Beach.
"It’s definitely very sad. I’m glad lifeguards are down here doing what they do. I appreciate that," beachgoer Brandon Bebow said Saturday.
Racine drowning victims Eisha Figuereo Colon and Yaadwinder Singh
It's why members of the sheriff's office Dive Tem spent Saturday at North Beach working to spread the word about water safety.
"As a community, we need to watch out for each other," said Deputy Nick Koldeway with the Racine County Dive Team.
"The waters out here can change unpredictably," Deputy Ryan McNally said.
In particular, deputies discussed what to do if swimmers find themselves caught in a rip current or other scary situation.
"Taking a deep breath and working through the situation is the best way to get out of it," Koldeway said. "What we tell people is to invert onto their back allowing their mouth and nose to be out of the water as best as possible, take those deep breaths and call to shore while waving your hands."
North Beach in Racine, Lake Michigan
The Drive Team advises, to stay safe, swim when lifeguards are on duty and keep an eye out for signs of a possible rip current – including a line of still or murky water perpendicular to the waves.
"Swim parallel to the shore until you don’t feel those tidal pulls anymore," said Koldeway.
Deputies also say to keep inflatables on hand, life vests on children, stay calm and don't hesitate to call 911 if you believe someone is in trouble.
"Using your head to calm down is really the most important thing you can do out there," Koldeway said.
Racine North Beach lifeguard
It wasn't a busy day at the beach due to the weather. Still, there were lifeguards present to keep an eye on things, and deputies hope the word reaches more people and saves lives.
"Even with the few people that showed up today on a rainy day, we were able to talk to those parties and hopefully those parties will talk to the loved ones that they have," Koldeway said.
Lifeguards are on duty from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day at North Beach. There are no lifeguards at Zoo Beach.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX6 News app for iOS or Android.
Featured
Video before Racine inmate's death released
A new video released from the Racine County sheriff's Office shows the moments leading up to an inmate's death.
Featured
Lake Michigan rip current warning after drownings
Water safety is becoming a public health crisis. Two children died and a third is in critical condition after emergencies at the beaches in Racine over three days.
Featured
Danger at the beach: Racine County sheriff seeks solutions
The sheriff spoke Tuesday from the Racine County Sheriff's sub-station in Sturtevant. He wants to take a closer look at the funding that has been allocated to safety measures for beaches in the City of Racine.