Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore completed its summer season on Labor Day with more than 1 million visitors, to make it the top tourism destination in the state.

A plus: there were no drownings this summer, compared to two during the season last year.

The National Park Service (NPS) is attributing that success partially to an increased water safety program established after the 2008 summer season. “While we cannot say that our changes were directly related to the lack of drownings, we did make a number of improvements to our water safety program this year,” Superintendent Constantine Dillon said in a statement released on Wednesday.

Among the improvements: assigning rangers and volunteers to provide safety information and assistance. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day contacts were made with more than 77,000 visitors to the National Lakeshore’s beaches and the Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center, the statement said.

In addition, NPS posted new shoreline safety signs with a “clear message” warning of the danger of waves. “Visitors have been reading the signs and asking questions of the roving staff,” said Chief Ranger Mike Bremer. “We have seen a change in behavior. Two weeks ago it was a beautiful day but there was a strong north wind and most visitors heeded the warnings from the signs and rangers and did not go into the waters of Lake Michigan.”

Other improvements included water safety information in the park’s Singing Sands newspaper and on the park’s website, the statement said.

Meanwhile, the findings of a water safety program analysis conducted by NPS in a partnership with the Student Conservation Association will be used to make additional improvements to water safety operations, the statement said.

“While Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer, the swimming season is not over,” the statement noted. “The warm late summer days lure folks back to the lake. Late summer and fall squalls of Lake Michigan are legendary and extremely dangerous and visitors need to know their own ability. The lifeguards are gone from West Beach, which means that visitors have to be even more aware of water conditions and practice water safety, including not going into the water alone and staying out of the water when there are white caps to the horizon. An interactive water safety game can be found at the park’s website at http://nps.gov/indu/photosmultimedia/watersafety_challenge

 Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore will continue to strive to provide visitors with the information they need to have a safe visit at the Lakeshore.”

Posted 9/11/2009