Blacktown Leisure Centre Stanhope marks 10 years of Poseidon Drowning Detection System

Having made history when it installed Australia’s first Poseidon Drowning Detection System at Blacktown Leisure Centre Stanhope, 10 years on, Blacktown City Council’s flagship centre remains the only aquatic and recreation facility in the country which uses this state-of-the-art technology.

The Poseidon System uses a network of cameras above and below the water surface and specialised software to analyse the activity of all swimmers in the pool.

The system can alert staff via an audible alarm and a visual display when a swimmer is motionless, or having trouble beneath the water surface, in as little as 10 seconds. It also identifies the exact location of the swimmer in the pool, saving precious seconds in a rescue situation.

Commenting on the value of the technology, Blacktown City Mayor Stephen Bali explains “we are proud to be leading the way with our Drowning Prevention System.

“Poseidon is not a replacement for parental supervision; it is another way to support the staff on pool deck.

“It remains the responsibility of the parent to actively supervise their children when enjoying the facilities at Blacktown Leisure Centre Stanhope.”

In the 10 years since its release, the Poseidon system has assisted staff in five  near-drowning rescue situations at the Blacktown Leisure Centre Stanhope.

Mayor Bali adds “coming into summer, we can’t wait for families to enjoy our facilities. Blacktown City Council follows Royal Life Saving’s ‘Keep Watch’ guidelines, and we encourage all parents to actively supervise their children whenever they are near the water.”

Keep Watch recommends parents follow four key drowning prevention actions:

• Active Supervision: all of your attention all of the time. 
• Restrict Access by placing a barrier between your child and the water is the best way to keep your child safe. 
• Water awareness strategies and activities are designed to keep your child safe when in or around water. 
• Resuscitate: Learning CPR could save your child’s life as you will almost always be the first on the scene in case of an emergency.

Click here to contact Maytronics, Poseidon's Australasian distributor, via their entry in the Australasian Leisure Management Supplier Directory. 

Image: Blacktown Venue Management Chief Operations Manager, Nichole Edsall, with the Poseidon system at Blacktown Leisure Centre Stanhope in 2015.

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