Lifeguards will now have the latest data on hand with new technology introduced to keep swimmers safe, called the “smart beaches” program.
“Resources are scarce and if we can manage our resources better, we’ll have better outcomes for people who go to the beach as part of the Australian tradition,” Digital Government Minister Victor Dominello said.
“This simply converts a flag to a smart flag, a board to a smartboard, a jet ski to a smart jet ski, to improve outcomes for families as they come to the beaches.”
GPS devices and smart cameras will be attached to surf rescue boards, buoys and flags on Sydney beaches.
The aim is to help lifeguards gather accurate data on beach conditions including crowd numbers to the size of the surf.
After successful trials at Freshwater, Shelley, South Steyne and Dee Why beaches, the program is now being expanded to Randwick, Sutherland, Wollongong, the Central Coast, and Newcastle.
“We trialled a whole range of technology in the first stage of the project and now we’ve really narrowed it down to a few key aspects to help build that database,” Tony Blunden from Coastal Safety Group said.
Manly MP James Griffin said: “Here at Freshwater, for example, it’s one of the busiest beaches, stretches of beaches in NSW and the technology will help the council understand when people are coming and allocate their resources more effectively.”
Last summer, 88 people drowned in the NSW surf out of 141 coastal drowning deaths Australia-wide.
Experts believe this technology will help lifeguards make more informed decisions to help reduce the death toll.
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