No one should drown while swimming and splashing around

Too many people still drown every year. The Badi Rotkreuz has thereby become even better equipped against drowning accidents since its renovation. Emergency bracelets are now being used here.

Some incidents should never happen again in our region: a little girl drowned in the Baar Badi – and died a week later from the consequences of the bathing accident (we reported). According to the statistics of the SLRG (Swiss Lifesavers Association), there are around 45 drowning deaths in Switzerland per year – with most people dying in lakes and rivers. There are various information campaigns every year, but these alone are not enough.

The municipality of Risch, which operates the Badi in Rotkreuz, has thereby started a pilot project: it provides bathers with programmed emergency wristbands. Since the reopening of the Badi Rotkreuz in May, bathers have been able to obtain the wristbands at the cash desk.

The "digitalen Badmeister” (digital lifeguard) in Rotkreuz work on the basis of an ultrasound system. As soon as someone is in the water for too long and too deep, the bracelet sounds an alarm: via ultrasonic waves, it sends a signal to nine sensors built into the pool, which then trigger a very loud acoustic signal at 100 decibels. This is about as loud as a chainsaw or an angle grinder – and can thereby heard by all the people present in the pool area. In addition, the bracelet generates a flashing light, so that the person in distress can be found under water more quickly.

"In order to familiarise ourselves with the system, we are working primarily with the schools," says the municipality of Risch on request. The bracelets are handed over to students when they visit the bath, and the experience so far is very good.

"We also willingly hand over the bracelets on request and free of charge to other children or adults who are at an increased risk of drowning."

There are currently 100 bracelets available in the Badi Rotkreuz, which has a capacity of 600 bathers, according to Deep Blue AG, which is based in Hallwil and sells the bracelets.

The bracelet being used in Rotkreuz: the front view on the left, the back view on the right.           Photo: Municipality of Risch
The emergency bracelets have been used in the renovated outdoor pool in Rotkreuz since May 2022.        Photo: Stefan Kaiser, Rotkreuz

The electronic recognition system in Rotkreuz was not introduced following to the fatal bathing accident in Baar. The sensors had already been installed in the pool as part of the Badi renovation.

The municipality of Risch explains: "The new warning device is only be used as an additional aid for monitoring purposes – and does not replace the well-known rules regarding behaviour in water."

The bracelet does not replace the lifeguard
Rotkreuz is the first outdoor swimming pool (Freibad) in Switzerland to use such bracelets, which have only been used in indoor pools until now. With good results, as the President of the Swiss Pool Attendant Association (Schweizerischen Badmeister-Verband) Michel Kunz, who has been using such bracelets reliably for about ten years, explains:

"The pool attendants would not want to do without the bracelets any more. And the children have been much more focused on the swimming course since then."

The emergency bracelets have even become mandatory during the school and children's swimming courses at the indoor pool in Bolligen, Bern, where he worked until his retirement.

The system works reliably and there are no false alarms, according to Michel Kunz. There was an alarm once when a child lost the bracelet in the water and it sank to the bottom of the pool. But here, too, it was only doing its job: "The bracelet sounded the alarm because it exceeded a certain depth and time limit." But only relying on the bracelet alarm does not make sense, however.

"The bracelet does not cancel out the duty of care of the pool attendant in any way. It doesn't replace a Badmeister (pool attendant/lifeguard)!"

The bracelet is simply a good support for his work and offers additional safety for the bathers.

Not all swimming pools and outdoor pools have the appropriate technology to locate people in the water in good time in the case of an emergency. According to Deep Blue AG, there are only around 500 swimming pools in Switzerland that offer emergency bracelets of the BlueFox brand for rent. There are also other electronic surveillance systems on the market – in addition to emergency wristbands, these also include underwater cameras. These are, however, prone to errors because they depend on the lighting conditions in the pool.

There are also bracelets for private use
If you not only want to move in and around the water safely in Rotkreuz, but always and everywhere, it’s possible to obtain a kind of emergency Smartwatch. These work a little differently, however: this bracelet sends a balloon up to the water surface and an alarm signal sounds. A light then blinks on the wrist of the drowning person, and shows where the person in distress is.

Technology can be helpful in preventing bathing deaths, but it’s also important to know how to behave correctly in the event of a bathing accident. In an emergency situation, rescue workers are always dependent on the support of first responders. Because the chance of survival of the affected person decreases by 10% for every minute that he/she is not resuscitated,.

In the last few weeks alone, at least six people throughout Switzerland have died in a drowning accident. Appropriate emergency helper knowledge (through a refresher course!) and emergency bracelets can help save lives.