Automated Pool System Saves Swimmer

An anonymous reader writes "An automated swimmer tracking system installed in a pool in Wales has saved a young girl who just collapsed and sank to the bottom, by paging lifeguards when it could not detect her moving." This is the first time a UK swimmer has been saved by the £65,000 Poseidon system since it was installed in March of 2003.

Comments

The system is a waste of money

[ajax142]

As a long time swimmer and a lifeguard myself, I have to say I think a system like this is a complete waste of money.

I've been to lots of pool where the lifeguard were sitting at a desk reading and not watching the water or in some cases there stayed inside an office. Now most of these pools were lap pool where only 'hardcore' swimmers spend time, but still a pulled muscle in the deep end and even the best swimmer can go down.

On the other hand I've been to other pools, and worked at one with really good lifeguards. The pool I worked at had Ellis lifeguards and our training and expectations were a orders of magnitude higher that the traditional Red Cross lifeguards at most pools (sorry I have to shame any organization that tells you to treat someone for a neck injury before getting the person breathing). I doubt the girl in the article would have made it to the bottom at my pool. A good lifeguard can tell which swimmers can swim and which can't by watching them. Those that can't swim get watched more, and if they do something stupid, like jumping into the deep end, in seconds you'll know if their coming up or not.

I think that system like these will only decrease the number of good lifeguards hired and we will see more and more lifeguards sitting behind desk or in offices reading because "the computer is watching the kids". The £65,000 cost of the Poseidon system would have been better spend hiring more and better trained lifeguards and keeping them well trained.