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Local fire chiefs cite rising lakefront emergencies, urge state support after multiple drownings
Summary
Zion — Fire and emergency officials told the council that lakefront emergencies at Illinois Beach State Park have risen over the past two years and that state resources and clear access to state appropriations remain lacking.
Zion — Fire and emergency officials represented to the council on Aug. 5 that lakefront emergencies at Illinois Beach State Park have increased over the past two years and that local departments lack sufficient staffing and equipment to respond consistently.
Deputy/Chief Justin Street read a joint informational statement on behalf of Zion Fire Rescue and neighboring departments. He said the departments “outlined that our local fire and emergency departments are not adequately staffed or equipped to handle the increasing number of lakefront emergencies. Data confirms the rising trend in incidents along this portion of Lake Michigan over the last 2 years.”
Street said local departments have purchased two personal watercraft (wave runners) and trained rescue swimmers; they also assign crews to the lakefront “when personnel availability permits.” He said the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is responsible for the state park shoreline but acknowledged staffing shortages in IDNR and that the agency told local leaders it has no current budget or plans to provide boats or additional lakefront staffing.
Street referenced state legislative efforts and said State Representative Joyce Mason “successfully secured an appropriation in the fiscal year 25 state budget, which was part of senate bill 2510 and public act 104-0003 that could potentially support noncapital needs such as water rescue equipment and personnel training for lakefront operations,” but he said the state had not yet provided direction on how to access those funds. Street and chiefs from Beach Park and Winthrop Harbor urged shared state responsibility for the park and said it is not sustainable for local taxpayers alone to fund protection of the six‑mile state park shoreline.
Street listed recent drowning victims in the record: Sisha Ketchum, 15 (Zion, July), Oxith Reddy Bandra, 26 (New York, July), Luis Espinosa Contreras, 20 (Waukegan, June 2025), and Kyle Williams, 14 (Milwaukee, July). He said the chiefs will continue coordination, training and targeted local measures such as signage to warn visitors of hazards.
Council members thanked the chiefs and noted outreach to state legislators; no new funding commitments were made by the city during the meeting.
