CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Four people have drowned in Lake Michigan in recent days in Chicago and Indiana. A lake swimming safety advocate said people need to be aware of the dangers.
Dave Benjamin, who founded the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project after a near-drowning incident while surfing in Lake Michigan, offers this advice if you get into trouble in currents.
- Flip over on your back.
- Calm yourself and float.
- When the current allows, make your way to shore.
- Do not fight the current.
WBBM caught up with Benjamin as he was heading to Michigan for a training session in the lake with new lifeguards.
"When the water is more turbulent, it's gonna be more difficult for the average person to be going into the water," he said. "Most people may have high confidence swimming in a pool. It's a small contained environment. In the open water, there's a lot more hazards."
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