(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — On Friday, Chicago’s beaches will open for the season. As this indicator of summer approaches, the city of Chicago is asking swimmers and boaters to follow basic safety rules.
On Tuesday, the fire department put a firefighter in the water and called in a helicopter that dropped two divers to get the man to safety.
The annual demonstration allowed the police and fire departments to stress safety for boaters and swimmers.
“If you can't swim with a buddy, keep an eye on each other. And then if you don't know how to swim, learn how to swim. Don't swim and drink. So obviously, drinking can lead to more dexterity issues and not being level headed,” Gretchen Chavez with the police Marine Unit said.
Same for boaters, she says. Don’t drink, have life vests for all passengers, have a marine radio, and know the rules.
The water in the lake is 55 degrees and potentially life-threatening.
A swimmer drowned last weekend.
The Chicago Park District is asking swimmers to respect “No Swimming Allowed” signs. The park district also requests that people monitor their website and social media pages for the latest information about swimming conditions.
Swim hours at park district beaches are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.
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