After decades without them, South Haven's beaches could see the return of lifeguards to watch over summertime swimmers. The South Haven City Council is churning through the possibility of reintroducing lifeguards after a spate of drownings which, swept away community members and visitors alike.
Lisa MacDonald, who tragically lost her daughter Emily at South Beach in 2022, has become a vocal advocate for the lifeguard program. "Our goal is to show South Haven, there is no excuse not to have lifeguards, there lifeguards should not be seen as a luxury or a liability. They should be seen as a priority and a responsibility for these towns that you know spend a lot of money bringing people to their towns," MacDonald told WZZM 13.
According to the Detroit Free Press, there have been more than 1,200 drownings in the Great Lakes since 2010, averaging about 100 a year. South Haven, specifically, stopped stationing lifeguards in 2001 and since then, has seen 12 drownings. Advocates for the program point to the revenue from tourist attractions and parking as a potential source for funding the lifeguards; City officials however, have yet to signal clear support.
Heather Welsh-Johnson has been appointed to coordinate efforts and present a plan to the city council. "I will make sure that I am crossing every T and dotting every I, and making sure that legally this is a very viable plan that the city can then take on for themselves," Welsh-Johnson said according to a FOX 17 interview. Despite no drownings occurring in 2023, proponents believe a permanent lifeguard presence could mitigate future fatalities.
Presently, beach safety systems in South Haven remain a motley of warning signs and swim-at-your-own-risk policies. The city council's action plan, awaited by many, is anticipated to be discussed in an upcoming meeting in April.
