A mother and her 14-year-old daughter were both pulled unresponsive and revived after nearly drowning in Lake Michigan at Illinois Beach State Park near Zion Thursday afternoon.
The Beach Park Fire Department and Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded around 4:15 p.m. Thursday to Illinois Beach State Park, 1 Lake Front Drive in an unincorporated area near Beach Park and Zion, for a water emergency.
Beach Park Fire Department Lt. Paul Ramirez said the incident involved two people, a woman in her 30s and her 14-year-old daughter, who were in Lake Michigan.
The mother was reportedly submerged for approximately five minutes.
The daughter remained above water but inhaled a significant amount of water.
“Heroic bystanders” successfully rescued both of them from the water, Ramirez said.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said both victims were unresponsive and bystanders performed CPR on them.
The Zion Fire and Rescue Department responded to the scene to assist the Beach Park Fire Department.
Covelli said both victims were reportedly awake and breathing when they were transported to the hospital.
A Beach Park ambulance transported the mother to a local hospital in critical condition, Ramirez said.
The daughter was transported by a Zion ambulance to a local hospital for further evaluation.
“We commend the extraordinary courage, quick thinking, and decisive action of the bystanders whose efforts gave these victims a fighting chance. Their willingness to act without hesitation in a life-threatening situation is nothing short of heroic, and their actions embody the very best of our community,” Ramirez said.
Covelli said the near-drowning happened in the same spot as the fatal drowning involving a 14-year-old child last month.
“We are in conversations with the director of the Department of Natural Resources about this ongoing issue,” he said.
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources Conservation Police are investigating the Thursday incident.
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 this week.
“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).
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.