Crime & Law
Chicago Officials Urge Caution, Safety on Lake Michigan During Labor Day Weekend
Boats in Lake Michigan are pictured in a 2020 file photo. (Thomas Campone / iStock)
Chicago public safety officials are urging caution for boaters and anyone else planning to enjoy time on Lake Michigan during the extended Labor Day holiday weekend.
“Throughout the boating season and the summer, the lake is a dangerous place, it can be a dangerous place — currents, waves, storms — and they should always be mindful of their and their passengers’ safety,” Lt. Thomas Hamilton, commanding officer of the Chicago Police Department’s Marine and Helicopter Unit, said Friday.
Two people died in separate incidents after being pulled from the lake last week, a 22-year-old man in Chicago and a 44-year-old man in Evanston.
Another man died on Aug. 17 after falling into the water at 31st Street Beach.
“Lake Michigan is not the ocean, but it needs to be treated with the same level of respect,” Chicago firefighter Charles Lelless said.
Beyond carrying enough life jackets, officials stressed that boaters should always check the weather, ensure they have functional navigation lights and a carry a working radio tuned to Marine Channel 16, which is constantly monitored by Chicago police, Chicago fire and Coast Guard officials.
Hamilton called the lake an “uncontrolled environment” that demands vigilance.
“It’s not like a highway where there’s lanes and stuff like that,” he said. “All the boaters should be mindful of each other.”
