People are drowning in lifeguarded pools. Swimmers have
always depended on the lifeguard's basic human
capabilities alone to spot someone in difficulty.
Surface glare, specular reflection, moving water, high
bather loads and physical blindspots are just some of
the problems making the lifeguards' vital job
increasingly difficult and putting lives in danger.
The latest guidelines from the UK's Health and Safety
Executive state that the 'water area above and below the
surface must be covered by a lifeguard' - a simple scan
of the surface is no longer sufficient.
The only way to meet the requirement for '3-Dimensional
Lifeguarding' is to install specialist technology.
The Swimguard approach to
swimming pool safety is to enhance the human capability of the
lifeguard by providing them with underwater 'eyes' in the form of
video cameras.
The proven Swimguard technology
provides the lifeguard with the means to identify a swimmer who is
in difficulty, and possibly entering the first stage of drowning, in
all parts of the pool - deep or shallow, lap pool or moving water.
Every second counts in such
situations and Swimguard increases the potential for a rescue before
the casualty is stationary on the pool floor, the point at which
other 'Drowning Detection Systems' alert the lifeguards, by which
time it is probably too late to prevent a drowning or serious
neurological injury.
We contend along with most safety
consultants, that the best way to supervise swimmers and prevent
drownings is with the lifeguard making the important decisions and
not a computer.
