News / Cameras to aid lifeguards
UNDERWATER and surface cameras will be installed in Shetland’s main swimming pool to support lifeguards doing their job.
Shetland Recreational Trust said on Monday that the number of lifeguards deployed at its Clickimin pool would not be reduced.
They also said that images taken would be protected and managed in accordance with the Data Protection Act.
General manager James Johnston said the cameras would help enhance safety at the pool.
“The safety of swimmers in our facilities is paramount, and technology is evolving all the time to aid lifeguards in carrying out their duties.
“We carried out a series of tests at all the pools in the Clickmin Leisure Complex earlier this year which identified a number of issues, in particular the amount of glare in the main pool.
“When we reported back to trustees, they instructed us to find a way to eliminate these small risks and we believe the cameras are the best and most cost-effective solution.
“This technology will not replace any lifeguards – it is there as a tool to help our lifeguards do their jobs,” Johnston said.
The cameras will relay images to four screens at poolside lifeguarding positions where they will be monitored as part of routine duties.
They will go live when the pool re-opens on Thursday 29 January following its current maintenance closure.
SRT chairman Bryan Leask added: “As trustees, we have a moral as well as a legal duty to ensure that people using our facilities are as safe as possible.
“Staff and trustees were impressed when they saw demonstrations of how the cameras would further enhance the safety of swimmers. They effectively give our lifeguards an extra pair of eyes.”
The underwater cameras will be installed in the main pool and the surface cameras around the river area. There are no plans to install cameras at any of the trust’s other facilities.
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