Michigan students may soon be required to learn water safety in school, under a new proposal aimed at preventing drowning deaths—especially in the Great Lakes.
Each year, around 100 people drown in the Great Lakes, according to advocates. Lake Michigan alone accounted for 51 of the 91 drownings reported last year. Local lawmakers and safety advocates are now backing legislation to help reduce those numbers through education.
Drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death among children ages 5 to 14, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“Sadly, this time of year always brings heartbreak,” said Dave Benjamin, co-founder of the Great Lakes Surf and Rescue Project. “So many incidents could have been avoided if people had just received basic public information.”
Benjamin and other advocates are now supporting a plan to introduce water safety lessons into Michigan’s school curriculum. They say reaching students early could save lives.
In Spring Lake, middle school students recently listened to water safety advocate Vicki Cech. Her son, Andy Fox, was a high school senior who drowned in a rip current in 2003.
“It’s been 21 years since Andy died, and it’s still emotional,” said Cech. “No family should go through this.”
Since her son’s death, Cech has worked with the Great Lakes Surf and Rescue Project to speak with children about the dangers of open water. She believes her personal story helps make the issue feel real.
“I think just seeing a mom who lost a child makes an impact,” she said. “It’s not just another video.”
Benjamin agrees that stories like Cech’s show why action is urgently needed.
“Water safety education is lacking—not just in Michigan, but across the country and even worldwide,” he said. “A school-based curriculum would be the fastest and most effective way to reach the most people.”
Cech hopes her message, and the efforts of lawmakers, will lead to water safety lessons being added to classrooms by next fall.
“These kids need to understand what’s going on out there,” she said. “We don’t want any more families to go through what we did with Andy.”
Two bills—one in the Michigan House and one in the Senate—have already been introduced. Although both are in the early stages of consideration, supporters are hopeful.
The Senate bill sponsor has expressed optimism about gaining support and eventually passing the measure.
If the legislation is approved, Michigan would join a small number of states taking formal steps to teach children how to stay safe in and around water.
