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The aquatic industry will see a considerable improvement in available safety technology this year. More options are now available that are user-friendly, affordable and, most importantly, effective! However, even the best technology will not protect swimmers if they are not integrated into facilities. Adopting these technological solutions requires a degree of investment of resources. But it also requires the desire and the will to change. Neither requirement comes easily.
Remember when seat belts were awkward and cumbersome? Wearing one meant a driver needed to slow down and buckle up instead of merely jumping into the car and rushing off. And then there was the added inconvenience of putting seatbelts on children in the back seat before a driver could even tend to his or her own. And the “feel” of wearing a seat belt--restrictive, cumbersome and wrinkled clothing--what a hassle! To add insult to injury, consumers were actually required to pay for this new safety feature. Now, we realize the benefits greatly exceed the “costs,” and beneficial behavioral change can be readily incorporated into a daily routine.
Curbing Accidents
The same analogy can be made to using drowning-detection technology, an incremental layer of protection for aquatic environments. Technology costs money, implementation requires change, and maintenance and compliance can be difficult and time-consuming. But consider these startling facts: Centers for Disease Control statistics indicate that drowning rates are becoming alarming.
