Emergency responders in Porter are praising beach-goers for helping to prevent two girls from drowning in Lake Michigan on Sunday. Porter Police say they were called to the town's beach around 6:45 p.m.
Beach-goers told officers that they had seen a girl struggling in the water, banded together and pulled her to shore. While doing so, they saw another girl struggling in the water farther west. A boy grabbed the beach's new life ring and gave it to an adult, who swam toward the struggling swimmer about 50 yards from shore. Police say they saw the girl go under the water and resurface, before the rescuer tossed her the life ring "in the nick of time." Both girls were checked by EMS and returned to their parents.
This comes during a year when water safety has seen increased attention. A new Indiana law requires rescue equipment to be installed at Lake Michigan's public beaches and access sites. Police say Porter Beach's life ring had just been installed a month before, and Sunday was the first time it had been used.
In a statement, State Senator Rodney Pol (D-Chesterton), who authored the legislation, says the life ring "prevented what could have been the heartbreaking loss of two young lives." He adds, "This successful rescue is a testament to the importance of our efforts and underscores the value of preventative safety measures."
