Question 1

HOW WAS WAVE DEVELOPED? HAS IT BEEN TESTED?

Accepted Answer

WAVE was developed over several years by a team of passionate product designers, engineers, aquatic safety experts, aquatic directors and many lifeguards just like you. To learn more about WAVE and the company behind it please click here.

The system uses proven patented and patent-pending technologies, and is used daily at leading aquatic facilities across the country so safeguard 10s of 1000s of swimmers. You can read some of our current customers' feedback here.

WAVE was named a 2022 and 2023 Most Valuable Product by Aquatics International magazine, the leading publication for the aquatics industry, was named a World Changing Idea by Fast Company magazine, and won an international FIT design award. The system has been covered in the media by major news organizations including ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, and several others.
 
WAVE is also supported by leading water safety advocates and organizations, a first for these organizations for drowning detection technologies. Our system is also the first of its kind to be part of a peer-reviewed study sponsored in part by the Dell Children's Medical Center Foundation.

Question 2

WHERE CAN WAVE BE USED?

Accepted Answer

Anywhere people swim!

WAVE is the world's only drowning prevention system that works in all types of water, including indoor or outdoor pools, waterparks, lakes, bays, rivers and more. It is not affected by water color, temperature, bubbles, currents or clarity, chemicals, minerals, vegetation, or marine life.

All components are designed to be weather-resistant for years of reliable service, and the system can be portable, installed permanently, or set up and taken down for seasonal use.

Question 3

OUR WATER IS CLEAR. WHY DO WE NEED WAVE?

Accepted Answer

No doubt, pools are generally safer than dark/open water, yet drownings can and do occur in pools. They happen in pools because sometimes it’s not the visibility of the swimmer that is critical, but the capability of the staff to know that the individual they see submerged is at risk of drowning.

Sadly there are too many stories of children drowning while staff, supervisors and parents were literally standing next to the pool and others were swimming right next to the victim. See here to learn more.

WAVE’s purpose is to detect that critical moment in time when a swimmer has been submerged for a high risk period of time (ex: 30s) and should be checked on.

Question 4

HOW IS WAVE INSTALLED? (SPOILER ALERT: IT'S NOT)

Accepted Answer

WAVE is actually deployed, not installed. In fact the system is virtually plug-n-play.

There is typically no need for permits, divers or licensed contractors and your facility can keep on operating while the system is set up.

There's no drilling, cutting, or retrofitting of pool decks, gutters, filtration systems, lighting systems, etc.

For permanent installations, the equipment can be mounted on walls*, desktops, poles, etc. When AC power is preferred, the otherwise portable system requires only standard low power cables.

* Some minor drilling is required for mounting equipment to walls.

Question 5

HOW MANY SWIMMERS & WHAT'S THE COVERAGE AREA?

Accepted Answer

The Guardian Hub is capable of reliably monitoring over 100 swimmers, and has a range of up to 700+ feet *.

When the number of swimmers is expected to be greater or the coverage area needs to be extended, additional Monitors and equipment can be integrated.*

* Like all wireless equipment range may vary depending on environmental factors.

Question 6

WHAT IS LEA (LIFEGUARD ENTRY ALERTS) AND HOW DO WE GET IT?

Accepted Answer

LEA (Lifeguard Entry Alerts) is a wireless easy-to-use technology that will alert your facility anytime a guard enters the water. LEA is an included feature in all WAVE systems or may also be purchased as a stand-alone system.

We'll work with you to configure a system unique to your needs, which will include the number of  Lifeguard Tags you'll need.

The small tags will be used by your guards, either attached to their clothing, equipment or worn on a lanyard. Any time a guard enters the water, your facility will be notified via audiovisual alerts near the water and throughout your facility. Depending on your system, alerts can also be received on mobile devices.

Learn more here.

Question 7

WHY A WEARABLE? AREN'T VIDEO-BASED SYSTEMS BETTER?

Accepted Answer

We applaud all efforts to prevent drowning. However, unlike WAVE video-based systems use algorithms to detect a motionless body already in the process of drowning, which can be precariously late in terms of having enough time to achieve a rescue without the risk of injury or possible death.

Video-based systems are not portable, don't work in dark water or at night, and can be tricked by glare, shadows and blind spots, just like the human eye.

Lastly, video-based systems also tend to be a much more expensive alternative to WAVE and are much more complex  and invasive to install around (and in) the water.

Question 8

HOW DOES MY STAFF USE WAVE? DOES IT ADD MORE TO THEIR LIST OF RESPONSIBILITIES?

Accepted Answer

WAVE was intentionally designed to have as little impact on the workload of your staff. Once up and running, your staff does exactly what it normally does during any typical day, i.e., they watch over the safety of your patrons.

Guards wear their waterproof Staff Bracelets, which can be worn all day or easily exchanged during shift rotations.

Staff can distribute and collect Trackers, or your patrons can simply do it themselves, returning the wearables to Storage Racks after swimming ends. It's so simple that even younger children can do it without supervision.

Other than the recommended daily testing before use or charging equipment when needed, no other system maintenance is required.

Please watch this video of Aquatic Directors discussing this topic.

Question 9

HOW DO WE STORE AND ORGANIZE ALL THOSE WEARABLES?

Accepted Answer

We know your guards are busy enough during the day, so we've designed intuitive storage racks that make getting and returning wearables easy, even for younger swimmers.

We offer two options, a floor stand that can be move easily when needed, or

a wall-mounted version for permanent installation.

Either way, after a few days of using WAVE your swimmers will get into the routine of getting and returning their wearables to either type of rack.

Question 10

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A "LIFEGUARD WARNING" AND "PUBLIC WARNING"?

Accepted Answer

Anytime a swimmer remains submerged beyond the preset maximum amount of time, WAVE notifies lifeguards by vibrating their Staff Bracelets. This action is only for the guards and is called a "Guard Warning".

If the swimmer continues to remain submerged for an additional preset period of time, the WAVE Hub will warn the facility via a flashing LEDs, audio tones and even spoken announcements. This is called a "Public Warning".

Question 11

WHO DETERMINES HOW LONG IS SAFE FOR A SWIMMER TO REMAIN SUBMERGED?

Accepted Answer

The short answer is that your facility does.

The maximum amount of time a swimmer can remain submerged before WAVE starts to warn lifeguards is set by the facility using the system using the WAVE Management App.

Some facilities may prefer a shorter period of time such as 15 seconds while others may prefer a longer maximum time such as 30 seconds. (Note that our Board of Aquatic Advisors recommends that no person–regardless of age or ability– remain submerged for longer than 30 seconds.)

Likewise the amount of time a swimmer can continue to remain submerged after the more discreet "Lifeguard Warning" but before the audio-visual "Public Warning" is also determined by each facility.

As the aquatics staff uses WAVE and learns more about their swimmers' characteristics, these settings can be adjusted quickly and easily via the WAVE Management application.

Question 12

WILL USING WAVE MAKE MY GUARDS COMPLACENT?

Accepted Answer

In a nutshell, no!

Actually the opposite is true. Our customers tell us that using WAVE has actually made their guards more aware and enaged, and helps to lower the stress of safeguarding their swimmers.

Watch this video to hear what they have to say.

Question 13

DO KIDS REALLY WEAR THOSE TRACKERS? DO THEY FALL OFF?

Accepted Answer

We can confidently state that most swimmers forget that they're even wearing a Tracker after a minute or so. They are extremely lightweight and comfortable to wear, even with goggles or swim caps.

Should a Tracker fall off, it will float, and most swimmers intuitively put the Tracker back on. It's that simple to use and wear.

Please watch this video of Aquatic Directors talking about how kids react to wearing Trackers.

Question 14

CAN SHARING THE WEARABLES SPREAD GERMS? WHAT ABOUT COVID-19?

Accepted Answer

Our wearables are made with materials designed to deter the growth of most germs and viruses.

For best protection, we recommend that each swimmer wear their own personal Tracker. However, for those facilities that share wearables, like most shared athletic products, regular cleanings will help to reduce risk.

Clean the wearables with soap and water, and then disinfect. Soaps, disinfectants and bleach do not damage wearables. To find out if your disinfecting product is CDC approved, visit https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2020-04/documents/disinfectants-onepager.pdf.

One WAVE customer recently recommended the cleaner, CUI Solutions Q-64, and uses it on a regular basis for this purpose. Learn more at https://cuisolutions.com/products/disinfectants/.

Remember to wear disposable gloves when cleaning and disinfecting, and be sure to store all cleaning and disinfecting supplies out of the reach of children.

As for swimming in general, chlorinated water common to most pools does a very effective job at reducing bacteria and other germs, including the Corona virus. Learn more from this informative article from LifeScience.com

Concerning lice, the Harvard School of Public Health stated: “Shared helmets and headphones in schools or recreational settings may rarely and transiently harbor an occasional louse or nit; the effort necessary to effectively inspect and clean these devices, however, is not likely warranted.”

Question 15

HOW LONG DOES A WEARABLE BATTERY LAST?

Accepted Answer

WAVE wearables contain a fixed, sealed battery that typically provides up to 18 months to 36 months* before requiring replacement.

Your WAVE system provides the battery status of wearables and will notify your staff if one needs replacing via the Management App.

* Battery life is based on a wearable being used for 8 hours a day. Actual battery life will vary based on actual hours in activated use.

Question 16

IF A SWIMMER LEAVES THE AREA WITH THEIR WEARABLE ON, WILL IT STILL TRIGGER A WARNING?

Accepted Answer

Because our wearables are so lightweight and comfortable, you may find that swimmers may forget they have them on and leave the facility.

To prevent inaccurate warnings WAVE offers optional EXIT DETECTORS which will notify swimmers if they leave the area with their Tracker before a warning would be triggered to guards, and additional MONITORS which cover areas normally used by swimmers outside of the swim area, such as bathrooms and lockers.

Question 17

HOW DO WE CLEAN THE WEARABLES?

Accepted Answer

Normally you can use a gentle soap and water to wipe the wearables down. For a more thorough cleaning, we recommend using a mixture of one-part water and one-part Ethyl Alcohol. Do not use products containing Sodium Hypochlorite or Ammonia which can damage the plastics over time.

Question 18

ARE USING WAVE WEARABLES SAFE?

Accepted Answer

Yes, very safe.

Our wearables use small low-power coin cell batteries and Bluetooth© Low Energy, an extremely low power wireless communications protocol.

The U.S. government sets safety standards for the amount of radiation emitted from consumer devices, and Bluetooth devices such as headphones and earbuds are well below that level, even when placed directly against the skin.

But unlike headphones and earbuds which constantly transmit/receive, our wearables transmit twice a second with each transmission lasting only a millisecond (one thousandth of a second).

For some insightful information about the practical impact of wireless communications on our health, please click here and here.

Question 19

HOW MUCH DOES A WAVE SYSTEM COST?

Accepted Answer

We believe drowning detection technology should be within reach of all facilities that want to provide their patrons with the highest standard of care possible. WAVE is the lowest cost, most reliable commercial drowning detection system on the market starting at around $7,500.

To learn more about WAVE cost of ownernship and how you can get started, click here.

Question 20

IS FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE?

Accepted Answer

We believe that any facility–regardless of financial circumstances– should be able to provide their swimmers with the highest level of care that our WAVE systems provide.

One approach that has been successful for some of our customers has been securing private and corporate sponsorships and grant monies to fully cover or subsidize in part the cost of deploying WAVE. Learn more here.

If you want to start using WAVE but believe doing so would be financially challenging, we urge you to please reach out to us to discuss ways in which WAVE can help– including special financing terms, using refurbished equipment, and other opportunities.

Question 21

CAN WE ADD ADDITIONAL ACCESSORIES AT A LATER TIME?

Accepted Answer

Yes. After using your system if you learn that you need optional accessories (such as Exit Detectors, additional Monitors or Location Indicators) you can add them to your system at any time.

WE'RE HERE TO HELP.

WE'RE HERE TO HELP.

WE'RE HERE TO HELP.

SWIMMING SHOULD BE ABOUT ENJOYING LIFE. NOT RISKING IT.

Welcome to safer aquatics.

FAQ

DON'T SEE YOUR QUESTION? CONTACT US.

HOW WAS WAVE DEVELOPED? HAS IT BEEN TESTED?

WHERE CAN WAVE BE USED?

OUR WATER IS CLEAR. WHY DO WE NEED WAVE?

HOW IS WAVE INSTALLED? (SPOILER ALERT: IT'S NOT)

HOW MANY SWIMMERS & WHAT'S THE COVERAGE AREA?

WHAT IS LEA (LIFEGUARD ENTRY ALERTS) AND HOW DO WE GET IT?

WHY A WEARABLE? AREN'T VIDEO-BASED SYSTEMS BETTER?

HOW DOES MY STAFF USE WAVE? DOES IT ADD MORE TO THEIR LIST OF RESPONSIBILITIES?

HOW DO WE STORE AND ORGANIZE ALL THOSE WEARABLES?

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A "LIFEGUARD WARNING" AND "PUBLIC WARNING"?

WHO DETERMINES HOW LONG IS SAFE FOR A SWIMMER TO REMAIN SUBMERGED?

WILL USING WAVE MAKE MY GUARDS COMPLACENT?

DO KIDS REALLY WEAR THOSE TRACKERS? DO THEY FALL OFF?

CAN SHARING THE WEARABLES SPREAD GERMS? WHAT ABOUT COVID-19?

HOW LONG DOES A WEARABLE BATTERY LAST?

IF A SWIMMER LEAVES THE AREA WITH THEIR WEARABLE ON, WILL IT STILL TRIGGER A WARNING?

HOW DO WE CLEAN THE WEARABLES?

ARE USING WAVE WEARABLES SAFE?

HOW MUCH DOES A WAVE SYSTEM COST?

IS FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE?

CAN WE ADD ADDITIONAL ACCESSORIES AT A LATER TIME?

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