Embracing Technology to Improve Aquatic Safety

CCO and Co-Founder Eyal Amit explains how technology can help alleviate the impacts of the ongoing lifeguard shortage and reduce pool drownings

With aquatic facilities busy and people eager to swim, develop water safety skills, and simply have fun in the water, a persistent problem continues to dampen their plans: a severe and ongoing shortage of lifeguards. According to the American Lifeguard Association, about a third of public pools across the USA are affected by a shortage of lifeguards, leading some of them to reduce hours or close altogether – and the situation is even worse at some beaches, where lifeguards are essential for preventing drownings and rescuing swimmers in distress.

In Australia, the situation remains deeply challenging. Royal Life Saving Society – Australia has advised that the aquatic industry continues to struggle with “an acute shortage of qualified lifeguards and swimming teachers”, with pools and aquatic facilities still working to rebuild their workforces following the disruptions of recent years. 

New Zealand is also feeling the strain — and the problem has not eased. As recently as early 2025, Central Otago District Council pools were forced to close on multiple occasions during the swim season due to lifeguard shortages. The Cromwell pool was shut entirely on some days, while the Alexandra outdoor pool closed repeatedly. The council noted the difficulty isn't simply finding willing candidates, but getting them through a hiring and training process that — from application to poolside — can take well over a month.

What's driving the shortage? Several overlapping factors continue to compound the problem. 

• The number of qualified lifeguards entering the workforce has not kept pace with demand, largely due to training access limitations, stricter safety expectations, and declining participation in seasonal aquatic jobs. Initial certification typically requires 25 to 30 hours of training including pool sessions and testing — a meaningful barrier for many candidates. Recertification requirements, while necessary, further thin the ranks of active guards.
• Pay and workplace culture are also key factors. Facilities that offer competitive wages report fewer staffing difficulties, while those paying lower rates consistently struggle to recruit and retain guards. Today's workforce is more informed than ever.
• The pool of traditional lifeguard candidates — teenagers and college students — has also shrunk. Until 2000, roughly half of teenagers worked at least part of the summer. By the 2010s, that figure had dropped to around 30%, and competition for young people's time has only intensified since. As April Chappell, Aquatics Director for the Cincinnati Recreation Commission, put it: "The opportunities for young people have increased. Many travel, do internships, play sports, attend camps. We're competing with a lot of things."

The lifeguard shortage is not only a problem for pool and beach goers — it's a community-wide issue. Lifeguards and swim teachers are not only responsible for saving lives, but also for teaching swimming skills and water safety to children and adults. Studies show that children from culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) backgrounds are more susceptible to drowning, and that public swimming pools are a vital summer resource for low-income families. Without adequate lifeguard staffing, these groups face both reduced access to aquatic facilities and elevated risk in the water.

So how can we fix the lifeguard shortage? There are some possible solutions that could help attract and retain more lifeguards. One is to increase the pay and benefits for lifeguards, which are often low compared to other jobs. Another is to offer more flexible schedules and incentives for lifeguards, such as bonuses, scholarships, or career advancement opportunities. A third is to create more awareness and appreciation for the role of lifeguards, who are often undervalued and underrecognized for their work. A fourth is to invest more in lifeguard training and certification programs, which are often costly and time-consuming for potential candidates.

However, there is another solution – with technology having the potential to dramatically reduce these unfortunate incidents, enhancing pool safety and efficiency by empowering lifeguards with AI tools that help them monitor and respond to incidents faster and more effectively.

With rapid technological advancements, AI has demonstrated the power to significantly bolster pool safety. Here, Lynxight is using standard pool cameras, augmented with AI, as a key to safety.

Turning Surveillance into Safety

Far from mere 'quick-fixes,' these AI-empowered technology solutions embed safety into the very core of pool management and design. Standard CCTV cameras are transformed into smart sentinels using AI image-correction software. By clearly capturing all pool activity, these now smart cameras can prevent mishaps before they occur.

As Lynxight CCO and Co-Founder, Eyal Amit notes: "AI technology is not just a tool, it's a game-changer in the realm of pool safety. It's the vigilant eye that never blinks, providing an added layer of security that we've never had before."

Lynxight AI in Action

Australian facility management operator BlueFit was an early adopter of Lynxight, implementing the technology across its managed aquatic centres. The results have been striking.

BlueFit National Operations Manager, Tommy Hughes commented: "Our lifeguards embrace technology and are feeling more comfortable having this system running through the CCTV and feeding head counts and alerts to their watches. It doesn't remove the risk and does come with limitations. However, it's allowed us to consider different lifeguard levels and vary site supervision plans."

BlueFit CEO, Todd McHardy added: "Results are showing that even experienced lifeguards actively looking for a submerged patron in testing mode are picking up less than half of what the system is. AI technology is a tremendous addition to assist our lifeguards, and using this platform will have greater benefits as the technology improves further."

"It will never replace lifeguards as they're often managing behaviour, however, staffing will reduce by up to 20% in some locations. In our non-council dedicated learn-to-swim venues, where the Pool Deck Coordinator is lifeguard qualified but distracted by parents and assessments, this system reduces risk significantly."

BlueFit Chief Technology Officer, Roland Karoliny noted: "As we centralise as much data and operational management as possible, we've been working with the Lynxight team on new alerts and dashboards.”

“Our central support team will soon see alerts and vision live so to ensure the local teams are adequately responding. Furthermore, we’re about to save on utilities as we connect Lynxight to our Energy Management Systems, to feed head count information through and turn pumps back in quiet times. And the increased usage data we’re now accessing live is amazing.”

What began as an ambitious concept — equipping all operational staff with Lynxight technology to support water safety across every facility — McHardy turned into reality. Lynxight is now live across all BlueFit locations, with qualified duty managers and customer service staff working alongside the system to ensure comprehensive coverage.

Pools of the Future

Pool safety should never be an afterthought. Pool designers can easily incorporate these AI solutions into their initial blueprints, and pool operators must prioritize integrating these measures into their existing setups. Future-proofing aquatic venues is a critical step toward safer environments globally.

Lynxight's technology also provides pool operators with a powerful management dashboard that helps them visualise and apply data from their pools, such as occupancy rates, incident statistics, and risk factors. This data can help pool operators improve their pool management, optimise their resources, reduce their costs, and increase their customer satisfaction.

Amit adds: "Lynxight's vision is to make every pool safer and smarter by leveraging AI and cloud technologies. Our solution can complement the human capabilities of lifeguards, not replace them."

Lynxight's technology is easy to use and does not require complex integrations. It works with standard security cameras which may need to be re-positioned or added for complete pool coverage. Lynxight is suited for any pool size, type, and configuration - whether indoor or outdoor, with or without water features and additional elements.

The lifeguard shortage is a serious, ongoing challenge that demands urgent attention from facility operators, industry bodies, governments, and the community alike. By working together, we can ensure that everyone can enjoy a safe and fun experience in aquatic facilities.

And by embracing technology like Lynxight's, we can take pool safety and management to the next level.