Eyal Amit explains how technology can help alleviate the impacts of the global lifeguard shortage and reduce pool drownings
*Article published in Australian Leisure Management Magazine
With aquatic facilities operational in the post Covid world and people wanting to have fun in the water while also gaining swimming and water safety skills, there is a problem that is dampening their plans: a severe shortage of lifeguards. According to the American Lifeguard Association, about a third of public pools across the USA are affected by a shortage of lifeguards, leading some of them to reduce hours or close altogether – and the situation is even worse at some beaches, where lifeguards are essential for preventing drownings and rescuing swimmers in distress.
In Australia, Royal Life Saving Society – Australia has advised that “an acute shortage of qualified lifeguards and swimming teachers across Australia is slowing down the aquatic industry’s efforts to rebuild after the Covid-19 pandemic”, going on to say “pools and aquatic facilities were badly affected by lockdowns across Australia. Now, as parents seek to get their children back in the pool for classes, a shortage in key staff is limiting the industry’s ability to meet demand.”
New Zealand is also impacted with Queenstown Lakes District Council having to close pools at its Alpine Aqualand on weekends from February because of lifeguard shortages while Canterbury’s Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa had to reduce its hours for the first time ever because it could not find enough lifeguards.
As for what’s causing the lifeguard shortage, there are three main factors common to all nations:
- First is that during the early stages of the pandemic, lifeguard certification classes were cancelled, meaning new people weren’t being trained and current lifeguards were unable to renew their certification.
- The second is that many overseas lifeguards who used to come to Australia and the USA on working visas were unable to do so because of travel restrictions and policy changes.
- Third is that many lifeguards, especially older ones, decided to retire early or switch to other jobs that offer higher pay and less risk of exposure to the virus.
The lifeguard shortage is not only a problem for pool and beach goers, but also for society at large. Lifeguards and swim teachers are not only responsible for saving lives, but also for teaching swimming skills and water safety to children and adults. Studies show that children from culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) backgrounds are more susceptible to drowning, and that swimming pools are a summer oasis for low-income families and children. Without lifeguards, these groups could miss out on the benefits of swimming and face greater dangers in the water.
So how can we fix the lifeguard shortage? There are some possible solutions that could help attract and retain more lifeguards. One is to increase the pay and benefits for lifeguards, which are often low compared to other jobs. Another is to offer more flexible schedules and incentives for lifeguards, such as bonuses, scholarships, or career advancement opportunities. A third is to create more awareness and appreciation for the role of lifeguards, who are often undervalued and underrecognised for their work. A fourth is to invest more in lifeguard training and certification programs, which are often costly and time- consuming for potential candidates.
However, there is another solution – with technology having the potential to dramatically reduce these unfortunate incidents, enhancing pool safety and efficiency by empowering lifeguards with Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools that help them monitor and respond to incidents faster and more effectively.
With rapid technological advancements, AI has demonstrated the power to significantly bolster pool safety. Here, Lynxight is using existing pool cameras, augmented with AI, as a key to safety.
Turning Surveillance into Safety
Far from mere ‘quick-fixes,’ these AI-empowered technology solutions embed safety into the very core of pool management and design. Standard CCTV cameras are transformed into smart sentinels using AI image-correction software. By clearly capturing all pool activity, these smart cameras can prevent mishaps before they occur.
As Lynxight Chief Executive, Omer Bar-Illan notes “AI technology is not just a tool, it’s a game-changer in the realm of pool safety. It’s the vigilant eye that never blinks, providing an added layer of security that we’ve never had before.”
Lynxight AI in action
While the use of technology to assist lifeguards is not yet considered standard practice in Australia, facility management operator BlueFit chose to implement Lynxight in 2022 as part of a pilot program at five of its managed aquatic centre locations in Melbourne and Sydney – starting at the Windy Hill Fitness Centre in Essendon.
BlueFit National Operations Manager, Tommy Hughes commented “this summer provided the most near misses and rescues in our 16 year history.
“Post COVID our lifeguards are younger, harder to keep on task and are more fatigued covering staff shortages.
“They do embrace technology and are feeling more comfortable having this system running through the CCTV and feeding head counts and alerts to their watches. It doesn’t remove the risk and does come with limitations. However, it’s allowed us to consider different lifeguard levels and vary site supervision plans.”
BlueFit Director and Chief Executive, Todd McHardy added “results are showing that even experienced lifeguards actively looking for the submersed patron in testing mode are picking up less than half of what the system is. AI technology is a tremendous addition to assist our lifeguards and using this platform will have greater benefits as that technology improves further.
“It will never replace lifeguards as they’re often managing behaviour, however, staffing will reduce by up to 20% in some locations. In our non-council dedicated learn to swim venues where the Pool Deck Coordinator is lifeguard qualified but distracted by parents and assessments, this system reduces risk significantly.”
BlueFit Chief Technology Officer, Roland Karoliny went on to say “as we centralise as much data and operational management as possible, we’ve been working with the Lynxight team on new alerts and dashboards to enhance the use of this system.
“Our central support team will soon see alerts and vision live so to ensure the local teams are adequately responding. Furthermore, we’re about to save on utilities as we connect Lynxight to our Energy Management Systems, to feed head count information through and turn pumps back in quiet times. And the increased usage data we’re now accessing live is amazing.”
More recently, and possibly to push industry limitations, McHardy has suggested that BlueFit is considering removing lifeguards from the pool deck of facilities, moving to support water safety by equipping all operational staff in facilities with Lynxight technology.
Quoted at a recent conference McHardy says “we will never do this where qualified duty manager and Customer Service staff are not nearby, however let’s do it for an hour and watch what the parents do.
“Our bet is they will get off their phones, engage and supervise more closely. That is a trial though, as in most applications this is simply added to existing supervision levels. Or where our Risk Assessment says three or four lifeguards, we’re comfortable with just three and the system.”
Pools of the Future
Pool safety should never be an afterthought. Pool designers can easily incorporate these AI solutions into their initial blueprints, and pool owners must prioritize integrating these measures into their existing setups. Future-proofing our pools is a vital step towards safer environments in international aquatics.
The quest to transform pool safety is formidable, but with AI’s power, we are poised to make significant strides. As we continue to innovate and refine these safety measures, we anticipate a global reduction in pool safety incidents.
Let’s not let these figures submerge into insignificance. It’s time for us all to leverage the technology at our fingertips to act responsibly towards aquatic safety. It’s about more than creating safer pools; it’s about fostering an aquatic environment where people can enjoy the water as they should – without a care in the world.
Lynxight’s technology also provides pool operators with a powerful dashboard that helps them visualise and apply data from their pools, such as occupancy rates, incident statistics, and risk factors. This data can help pool operators improve their pool management, optimise their resources, reduce their costs, and increase their customer satisfaction.
Bar-Illan adds “Lynxight’s vision is to make every pool safer and smarter by leveraging AI and cloud technologies.
“We believe that our solution can complement and augment the human capabilities of lifeguards, not replace them.”
Lynxight’s technology is easy to use and does not require complex integrations or expensive hardware. It works with existing cameras which may simply need to be re-positioned and added to for pool coverage. It offers flexible and low-cost service plans that suit any pool size and budget.
The lifeguard shortage is a serious issue that needs urgent attention from all stakeholders as well as the public. By working together, we can ensure that everyone can enjoy a safe and fun experience in aquatic facilities.
And by embracing technology like Lynxight’s, we can take pool safety and management to the next level.