MERIDIAN, Idaho — Now that summer is here, things are heating up in the Treasure Valley and Roaring Springs Waterpark in Meridian is expecting to get lots of visitors.
Lots of guests, brings lots of challenges for the lifeguards.
The waterpark has added a state-of-of-the-art surveillance system specifically designed for waterparks.
"Everything has been exclusively designed for the pool and the waterpark arena," Benjamin Strong, COO of Ellis Aquatics Innovations, said.
This new camera system consists of 57 cameras that provide over 100 views above and below the water which are meant to give the almost 40 lifeguards on deck an extra pair of eyes.
"As the complexity of waterparks and rides have evolved, we started to see a huge need to find another way to provide those layers of protection," Strong said. "A way to help adjust for the challenges of being a lifeguard."
There are blind spots and other areas that lifeguards have a difficult time seeing, these cameras give them a clearer view that potentially saves lives.
"We've positioned the cameras in a way that it provides them an advantage over what the lifeguards we have on deck," Strong said. "We put them in elevated areas that allows them to cut throw the glare so that they can focus on what is at the bottom of the water.
The lifeguards at the waterpark said that the extra help from the cameras allow them to perform their jobs with a higher level of confidence and safety for all guests.
"Having that extra failsafe definitely takes a huge load off our shoulders," Dillon Miller, lifeguard at Roaring Springs, said.
It also put parents at ease.
"It makes my wife and I feel a lot better," Oscar Gomez, a visitor at the waterpark, said. "We got a chance to eat our meal knowing that our kids are safe the entire time."
Roaring Springs is the first waterpark in the country to install this surveillance system and made its debut last summer.
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