LANSING, Mich. — Sen. Roger Victory is inviting the public to a free event on Monday, Oct. 28, on the state of water safety and drowning prevention in the Great Lakes.
“Water safety can save lives. According to one tracking effort, at least 77 people drowned in the Great Lakes this year and more than half of those happened in Lake Michigan,” said Victory, R-Hudsonville. “We are hosting this water safety event to provide a great opportunity for families to learn more about water safety efforts in our region and hear from those working to protect people from drowning and keep them safe in and around water. The event is free, and everyone is welcome.”
The event will take place on Monday, Oct. 28, at the Yacht Basin, located at 1866 Ottawa Beach Road in Holland. The doors open at 8:30 a.m. and the program will run from 9 to 10 a.m.
Victory also highlighted his legislation to help prevent drownings by requiring water safety instruction in school.
“Water safety education and swim training have been shown to help protect children and youth from the tragedy of drowning, yet a recent statewide survey shows that fewer than 15% of Michigan schools provide water safety education or swimming to students,” Victory said. “My bill is an effort to help increase education and save lives.”
According to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, there have been at least 1,317 Great Lakes drownings since 2010. That includes roughly 77 drownings in all the Great Lakes in 2024 and 44 in Lake Michigan alone.
Senate Bill 736 would require water safety instruction for every public school student. The material would be seamlessly integrated into existing courses such as health, physical education, or other related subjects as determined by the Michigan Department of Education. The bill does not require swim lessons but would ensure schools provide students with age-appropriate education and understanding of water safety practices and safe swimming conditions.
For questions or to RSVP for the event, residents can contact Martin Johnston from Victory’s office via email [email protected] or by phone at 517-373-6920.
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