What Does Drowning Look Like?
Tue. 10 /21 8:45 AM 9:45 AM
Today’s aquatic facility operations are beginning to embrace technologies relating to the safety of the guests who frequent them. Aquatic safety technology such as the Ellis Aquatics Vigilance System (EAVS) utilizes a complex camera monitoring process to enhance patron surveillance by allowing a control room operator to monitor in real-time the guests in the attractions and communicate any issues of concern to the lifeguards on-deck for a timely response. In addition to this capability, EAVS allows the real-time video to be stored on a Network Video Recorder and retrieved at a future time/date. The recorded footage has proven invaluable as a means by which to view “what drowning really looks like”, and how lifeguards actually respond to the emergency. Until this technology became available, the information used to craft training programs and education for those tasked with protecting swimmers was speculative, or second hand at best. With this new video evidence training will need to change to reflect the realities shown. This session will highlight the drowning behaviors commonly seen in the recorded footage (what drowning really looks like), discuss the real responses that lifeguards provide when confronted with these situations, and touch on ways this evidence can be used to train staff moving forward. Don’t miss this exciting look at the future.
Operations/Safety
