Public safety officials have installed numbered markers at a sprawling western Michigan beach to help first responders locate emergencies faster and facilitate beach meet-ups. Seven red markers with white numbers have been placed 300 feet apart along the northern stretch of Pere Marquette Park's beach in Muskegon.
Muskegon Public Safety Director Jeffrey Lewis says anyone calling 911 will be able to relay which marker the emergency is near. They also make it easier for families and friends to meet up. Lewis encourages families to use the markers to develop a family emergency plan should someone separate from the group.
He says that for future water emergencies, the markers "will help save lives."
