Computer Helps Save Drowning Child
A computer system that assists lifeguards in preventing drowning is being credited with saving the life of a 10-year-oldz North Wales girl on August 24. The system alerted lifeguards and within 40 seconds the child was pulled from the pool and resuscitated.
Called Poseidon, the system was installed by local officials two years ago at a cost of $118,000 USD. The pool is one of the deepest in Wales, with a top depth of 12.5 feet.
The system works by monitoring a network of cameras installed below the surface of the pool. The computer then monitors swimmers and looks for irregularities. If the system detects a possible drowning, the lifeguards are paged with the location of the victim.
The system is now installed at over 100 pools worldwide.
Such a system has resulted in several other rescues, including a man in Germany who suffered a heart attack during a regular swim session at a public pool.
According to Vision IQ, the company behind the Poseidon system, an average of 9 people drown each day in the U.S. alone.