July 7, 2022 9:30p
(WGTD)---City and county officials in Racine have spent $300,000 to prevent drownings at the popular North and Zoo Lake Michigan beaches in the city. During a presentation on the beach Thursday, County Executive Jonathan Delagrave, Mayor Cory Mason and several others described in detail new procedures and technology that have been put in place.
“We’re not declaring victory but what we are declaring is that we’ve taken it very seriously…that local governments have come together to mitigate the danger as much as possible,” Delagrave said.
The initiative includes two-way radios for lifeguards, surveillance cameras, remote-controlled buoys, drones that can drop flotation devices into the water and new signage.
“This helps us mitigate the drownings that might occur but we still need people to listen and follow the safety instructions that are there,” said Mason. “If there’s a dangerous undertow, it’s not safe to be in the water,” he said.
Despite a lifeguard shortage in the area, the city will be extending lifeguard protection for the first time to Zoo Beach on weekends only. The larger and more popular North Beach will have lifeguards on duty seven days a week from ten until six.
The city has increase the hourly wage for lifeguards to nearly $18.
By the way, Friday would not be a good day to enter Lake Michigan. The National Weather Service has posted a beach hazards statement for Friday afternoon through Saturday morning for three-to-five foot waves and strong currents.
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