Robot Lifeguards to the Rescue in Lake Michigan

Something tells me David Hasselhoff and the Baywatch gang never imagined it would come to this - but somehow, they'd be just fine with it.

Robot lifeguards are now assisting with the rescues of would-be drowning victims off the shore of Lake Michigan.

The Dangers of Lake Michigan

According to data published by the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, an average of 89 people have drowned somewhere in the Great Lakes every year since 2010. Every year, Lake Michigan is the lake that claims the most victims.

RELATED: Michigan Has 2 of the Nation's Top 10 Most Dangerous Lakes

Lake Michigan's unusual shape plays a part in its increased danger, according to experts. TheTravel.com notes that "its shores also run parallel, causing unique wave shapes. The shapes of these waves are what contribute to rip tides, which are one of the most dangerous things swimmers can encounter in the water."

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Lake Michigan also has more visitors every year than any of the other Great Lakes, allowing it to present its drowning dangers to a higher population.

Lack of Lifeguards Along Lake Michigan

Many parks and communities along the shore of Lake Michigan can no longer afford to staff full-time lifeguards along their beaches - another factor that results in more drowning victims than there might otherwise be.

However, a couple of communities in southwestern Michigan still do employ lifeguards on their beaches - New Buffalo and St. Joseph, and that's where "EMILY" is beginning to make a difference.

More About "E.M.I.L.Y." - the Emergency Integrated Lifesaving Lanyard

EMILY is the pet name for the Emergency Integrated Lifesaving Lanyard - essentially a remote control robot designed to get out to potential drowning victims much faster than a lifeguard could.

Once deployed by a human lifeguard, EMILY can speed through the waves and out to a drowning victim extremely quickly. Once the robot arrives, the victim can grab onto its easy-grip handles and use the robot to help stay afloat until human help can get there.

Both New Buffalo and St. Joseph's Silver Beach now feature EMILY as part of their lifesaving arsenals, thanks to a generous donation from the parents of two unfortunate drowning victims.

Back in August 2022, Emily MacDonald and her boyfriend Kory Ernster both tragically drowned in Lake Michigan off South Haven's South Beach. Paying for them with life insurance money, Emily's mom and Kory's dad recently donated a pair of EMILY robots to the beaches in St. Joseph and New Buffalo to assist with their lifesaving efforts.

"We value the fact that they value human life over tourism," Lisa MacDonald told Fox 17.

The company that produces the EMILY robots says they've been successfully utilized in countless rescues.