Fire chiefs say the state still has no safety plans or funding for emergency response to water rescues at the Illinois Beach State Park near Zion, despite another person drowning in Lake Michigan.
Beach Park Fire Chief Thomas Stahl, Winthrop Harbor Fire Chief Rocco Campanella and Zion Fire Rescue Chief Justin Stried held a joint press conference on June 23 calling for action following safety concerns at the Illinois Beach State Park.
“We outlined that our local fire and emergency departments are not adequately staffed or equipped to handle the increasing number of lakefront emergencies,” the fire chiefs said in a joint statement.
“Data confirms a rising trend in incidents along this portion of Lake Michigan over the past two years. Yet, our ability to respond effectively remains limited,” the letter said.
The fire chiefs said Tuesday that the press conference was successful in being covered by Chicagoland news outlets and gaining the attention of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR).
The fire departments say they maintain a positive working relationship with local DNR officers, who are responsible for patrolling multiple counties yet face significant staffing shortages.
Multiple IDNR leaders met with the three fire chiefs during a virtual meeting to discuss the fire chiefs’ concerns about Lake Michigan’s hazards and the need for improved emergency preparedness.
The IDNR leaders “acknowledged” their request but “clearly communicated” that there is no existing budget or any current plans to assist local municipalities or fire protection districts with emergency response boats or additional lakefront staffing during the summer season.
The fire officials say that local legislators have been attempting to assist.
State Representative Joyce Mason secured an appropriation in the FY2025 state budget that could potentially support water rescue equipment and personnel training for lakefront operations.
“Unfortunately, despite her continued and persistent outreach, the State of Illinois has yet to provide direction on accessing these funds,” the fire chiefs said.
State Senator Mary Edly-Allen has been attempting to work with the governor’s office to find funding for a boat but has been unsuccessful so far.
“Despite these many challenges, we remain committed to doing everything within our means to protect our residents and visitors,” the fire chiefs said.
The local fire departments have used their own local funding to train rescue swimmers and jointly purchase two wave runners to enable faster response to water emergencies.
A significant amount of time has been invested in joint training exercises across the three fire departments to ensure coordination and preparedness.
The fire department also occasionally assigns fire crews to the lakefront to maintain a visible presence and enable quick response to incidents on the beach and water.
“We do not feel it is sustainable or appropriate for our local taxpayers to bear the financial burden of safeguarding one of Illinois’ most visited natural assets,” the fire chiefs said.
“The Illinois Beach State Park spans six miles from the Wisconsin state line southward and attracts large crowds from all across our nation. Ensuring the safety of this state-managed shoreline must be a shared responsibility, supported with the appropriate resources and funding from the state level,” they said.
The fire officials also acknowledged they have not forgotten the deaths of Cesia Ketchum, 15, of Zion in July 2024; Akshith Reddy Bhandra, 26, of New York, in July 2024; Luis Espinosa-Contreras, 20, of Waukegan, in June; and Kyle Williams, 14, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in July.
During the fire chiefs’ press conference in June, they discussed the growing dangers along the Lake Michigan shoreline.
Campanella said that the state’s $73 million investment in Lake Michigan beaches and shoreline stabilization resulted in making the area “truly beautiful,” while failing to provide a single cent for public safety.
“We’re expected to respond to drownings, boating accidents, and water emergencies with outdated equipment, limited training, and inadequate staffing,” Campanella said.
Campanella is asking for $750,000 for a new rescue boat capable of handling waves over two feet, $150,000 for training fire personnel on modern rescue standards and $150,000 for seasonal staffing to patrol the beaches at peak times.
“Right now, we’re relying on a 24-foot boat built in 1985, purchased through local fundraisers. That’s unacceptable for a department responsible for the closest marina and thousands of lives on the water,” he said.
Stried said his agency, along with Beach Park and Winthrop Harbor, routinely respond together to water incidents between the Wisconsin-Illinois state line to the south end of the Illinois Beach State Park.
“There have been a number of other close calls, and dozens more deaths in this 6.5 mile stretch of Illinois Beach State Park shore over the past two decades,” Stried said.
The fire chief said that local municipalities do not have the liability or jurisdiction to respond to rescues on Lake Michigan but do so anyway.
Stahl said that from 2015 to 2024, the Illinois Beach State Park saw an increase of 800,000 annual visitors for a total of over two million annual visitors, making it the second most visited state park in Illinois.
“But while the number of visitors has soared, the resources to keep them safe have not kept pace,” Stahl said.
Stahl said the three fire departments, along with Newport and Pleasant Prairie, respond together to water emergencies and train together.
“But even with strong cooperation, time is our greatest enemy. When someone is in distress in the water, every second counts. MABAS teams from Divisions 4, 5, and 101 respond with urgency and purpose—but travel and deployment time is a reality we can’t ignore. Tragically, that time gap can mean the difference between life and death,” he said.
Stahl added that while the fire departments are doing everything they can with the limited resources, they need support and funding that matches the growth of the state park.
Just a month after the chiefs held their press conference, 14-year-old Kyle Williams was found dead in Lake Michigan at the state park days after he went missing while swimming in the lake.