South Haven Area Emergency Services emphasizes beach safety through flags
South Haven Area Emergency Services
and last updated 2021-05-11 12:45:56-04
SOUTH HAVEN, Mich. â South Haven Area Emergency Services will start its annual program of flying safety flags at city beaches for the summer months this Saturday.
This year â in the wake of an increase in water-related emergencies a year ago â SHAES and the City of South Haven are implementing initiatives to better inform the public before heading to the beach, especially on red flag days, a news release said Tuesday.
South Haven Area Emergency Services
The cityâs IT staff has developed a text messaging system that will send alerts to mobile phones when flags are flying red.
May 6, 2021
South Haven Area Emergency Services says its Firefighter of the Year is Matt Dey. SHAES held its annual dinner this past Saturday, where it gave the honor to him. The agency says Dey has been with it since 2018 after serving the Buchanan Fire Department. During the 2020 summer season, he was a key responder during water-rescues on three separate occasions. In June, after receiving a report of kayakers being blown out into Lake Michigan, he commandeered a jet ski and was able to reach them until the SHAES boat arrived. Later in the summer, he helped kayakers who became swamped in the Black River, and still later, he witnessed two people being washed off the South Pier and reached an unconscious man to bring him to shore so he could be revived. SHAES says “Dey exemplifies through his actions the selfless commitment to community by SHAES responders.”
Two drones are the newest tools to save drowning victims in South Haven
One of the drones has the ability to drop a floatation device to someone struggling in the water, reducing the response time for rescuers. Author: Alana Holland (WZZM13) Updated: 4:59 PM EDT May 5, 2021
SOUTH HAVEN, Mich. In 2020, South Haven Area Emergency Services (SHAES) responded to 23 water rescues. Three people drowned in Lake Michigan off the city s beaches. Yeah, that was at least doubled from what we ve responded to in the past, said Brandon Hinz, SHAES executive director.
Now, SHAES has a new tool: drones.
One drone has the ability to fly over the water and drop a floatation device to someone struggling in the water. The goal is to reduce the response time to save someone from drowning. Paramedic and firefighter Zachary Kenreich said it takes about four minutes for rescue crews to get to the lake from the station. Then, it is another one or two minutes
May 3, 2021
Crews in South Haven will use new technology when there s trouble in the water.
It can take crew three to four minutes to reach the scene, two minutes to get someone on the water and then it can be difficult to find a victim in rough waters.
South Haven Area Emergency Services now has a drone that can drop a flotation device to a victim in the water.
The drone was purchased with a $7,500 grant from the Albemarle Foundation.
View the full story on WOOD TV
Drone will drop life preservers to struggling swimmers at South Haven beaches
Updated May 04, 2021;
Posted May 04, 2021
A new drone for the South Haven Area Emergency Services will drop a life preserve to help swimmers struggling in Lake Michigan.
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SOUTH HAVEN – A new drone can help swimmers in danger of drowning.
The drone will drop a flotation device when a swimmer is struggling in Lake Michigan, according to a news release from South Haven Area Emergency Services.
The drone can be operated from shore by emergency responders. It will drop a CO2-charged, water activated flotation device to swimmers struggling in the water, the release said.