Beach Safety Technology Conference 2021

On March 11, 2021, over two hundred beach safety professionals and researchers from all over the world logged in to participate in the 2021 Beach Safety Technology Conference, a 4.5-hour online event designed to be "an international forum exploring the use and development of technology for ocean lifeguards, beach safety professionals and researchers." The free conference was hosted by the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Beach Safety Research Group and Smart Beaches.

Participants at the conference tuned in from 30 different countries, most from Australia, the United States, Spain, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Canada. Participants represented a variety of organisations including professional and volunteer lifeguard organisations, research and academic institutions, private industry, other emergency services and governmental agencies, hospitals, education and other water safety bodies.

The conference featured 22 different presentations on a variety of topics related to emerging technology relevant to beach safety and lifeguarding. Keynote speakers included Professor Rob Brander from UNSW Sydney and Tony Blunden from Smart Beaches/Lake Macquarie City Council. A moderated panel discussion on the role of technology in beach safety and lifeguard operations featured Matt du Plessis, Waverly Council Lifeguard Manager (Australia); Andy Kent, Surf Life Saving New Zealand National Lifesaving Manager; Adam Uehara Los Angeles County Lifeguards Section Chief (United States), and Shane Daw, Surf Life Saving Australia General Manager Coastal Safety (Australia). The conference also featured breakout sessions on predictive modelling and risk forecasting, crowd counting technologies, technology for lifeguard data collection and activity reporting, and education and public communication technology. Presenters represented a mix of ocean lifeguard organisations, researchers and industry experts from eight different countries. A full agenda of the conference is available below, and recordings of the conference presentations are available here. 

The conference, the first of its kind, brought together an international group of beach safety leaders to share their experiences around new technological tools. While many presenters discussed the benefits and success of technology in saving lives or aiding lifeguards to do their jobs better, many also acknowledged barriers and challenges and the usefulness of some technology. The candid and transparent conversations on the difficulties of working with new technology and the importance of defining the problem first provided important lessons for participants, many of whom are also beginning to work new tools.  

Feedback about the conference was overwhelmingly positive, 95% of post-conference survey respondents indicated they would attend a future conference or webinar on beach safety topics.

Missed the conference? You can watch recorded presentations from the event, for free, here.