The first full Swimguard safety systems were installed in 1997 into three council run pools in Northern Ireland following a drowning incident. The drowning took place under the nose of the lifeguard but due to surface reflection the lifeguard was unable to see that a swimmer was in difficulty.

Since then the Swimguard system has been refined and developed, taking advantage of new technology and the input from pool operators, and is now installed in over 30 facilities in the UK and the USA, with many more on order for both new and existing pools.

New markets in Western Europe are opening up as safety authorities take steps to cut back on the number of drownings and near-drownings in public access pools. The introduction of guidelines requiring the incorporation of surveillance systems to assist lifeguards with their critical but difficult responsibilities is likely to become a standard feature in many countries.

With offices in England, Northern Ireland and the USA, Swimguard intends to maintain its focus on developing and supplying the safety system to the point where it becomes a normal public expectation in all pools where they pay to swim and play.