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Resident urges expanded lakefront water‑safety measures after two drownings
Summary
Lisa Buduan told the Common Council two recent drownings at the Racine lakefront underline the need for broader safety steps: motion‑sensor no‑swim signs, an interactive lake map with school tutorials, a two‑story water‑safety facility, and a volunteer safety coalition.
Lisa Buduan, who identified herself as a child‑abuse survivor and survivor coach, urged the Racine Common Council to take additional steps after two children died at the lakefront in August 2025. "There has to be multiple efforts made that work together by our entire community to help keep people safe in our waters in the Racine area," she said.
Buduan outlined four proposals: install no‑swim‑zone signs with motion sensors, create an interactive city map of Racine's bodies of water and age‑appropriate tutorials to be distributed through the Racine Unified School District, build a two‑story Racine water‑safety dispatch and injury clinic near the Yacht Club, and organize a Racine volunteer water‑safety coalition to monitor no‑swim zones and offer classes and survivor support. She said a sign will go up at Cary Hogle Park "at the end of this month," and that she had spoken with Battalion Fire Chief Bedros Ohanian about existing online materials that could be adapted for school use.
The proposals are framed as a mix of signage, public education, monitoring and clinical response. Buduan suggested the upper floor of a proposed facility could function as a water‑safety dispatch center to monitor motion sensors and the lower floor as a clinic with emergency care and storage for equipment and vehicles. She also proposed fundraising and volunteer shifts coordinated with Parks and Recreation to sustain the effort.
The comment concluded with Buduan thanking the mayor and the council for taking action so far and urging continued, coordinated community effort. The clerk closed the public comment period and the council proceeded to its committee reports.
