The
commercial system is ideal for any of the above applications and more, if you
would like a price on any of the commercial systems please contact us by phone
or email (details on our contact page)
Safewater
Alarms sells two stand alone dual
alarming systems: a “wired solution”
model and “wireless solution” model. See
illustrative diagrams
below.
Wired Secondary Alarm
NOT weather proof
Supports single Integrator Base
Station
Up to 1,000 ft. [300 m.]
separation
120 decibels
No visual indicators
Requires AC or external 12V
battery input
Wireless Secondary Alarm
includes Transmitter with audio
plug
NOT weather proof
Supports 4 Integrator Base
Stations
Up to 1,500 ft. [450m.]
separation
120 decibels
LEDs display which Transmitter
initiated alarm, thereby
localizing
LEDs display supervisory and low
battery status of individual
Transmitters
Requires AC or external 12V
battery input
An Integrator Base Station model B102E shown
below, one or more Turtle wristbands [and/or gate alarm sensors and/or panic
buttons] and [optionally] a Terrapin supplied Secondary Alarm
The Integrator Base Station has a three contact female jack that contains
normally open, normally closed and common contacts. These contacts switch state
when the Integrator Base Station begins alarming (almost immediately after
Turtle is immersed in water). The ability to use either normally open or
normally closed contacts allows for a wide variety of interface solutions.
A Commercial/Extended Range System normally replaces the Standard System in the
following circumstances:
1. Desired alarm location is more than 150 feet (45 meters) from immersion
location or 50 feet (15 meters) from a salt chlorinated pool.
2. Alarming must occur both poolside and in the residence, as stipulated in ASTM
Standard Specification for Pool Alarms F2208-02.
3. Alarm must be louder than 110 decibels, to be heard throughout the residence
or outside.
4. The alarm must be communicated electronically, e.g., to home alarm, strobe
light indicator, etc.
Terrapin sells two stand alone dual alarming systems: wired solution model SC102
and wireless solution model SB102. These are illustrated in the accompanying
diagrams and images.
Lifeguards get help from 'turtle'
YMCA uses alarm system to signal pool rescues
By Jake Finch, Correspondent
November 28, 2005
Using a scale based on his years of experience as a lifeguard, Jim Carper's
rescue of two young boys this summer in the Simi Valley Family YMCA swimming
pool during a class was relatively minor.
Minor though it was, Carper said rescuing the boys who became tangled under
water while playing was made much simpler by a new alarm system installed this
year at the YMCA, which alerted employees to the rescue.
"I went into the water to pull (the boys) apart," said Carper, a longtime guard
and fitness instructor at the YMCA.
"By the time I had got them out, I had the aquatics director, head lifeguard and
camp director all standing at the top of the stairs. When you're a lifeguard,
it's great to know you have that backup and support."
The alarm, called the Safety Turtle Alarm System, sends a signal to the YMCA's
front desk when it becomes wet.
Attached to the lifeguards' rescue buoys, which always go with them into the
water during a rescue, the alarm supplements the guards' whistles.
The whistles can't always be heard through the walls of the facility.
Aquatics Director Robert Martin purchased the system after realizing the
lifeguards' whistles couldn't always be heard.
He wanted something to bring additional help for a lifeguard on a rescue.
"The front desk staff needs to respond to the pool area and see what needs to
happen next," he said.
The device was invented to be worn by young children around swimming pools.
Co-inventor Bob Lyons, who is president of the Ontario, Canada-based Terrapin
Communications Inc., the Safety Turtle's manufacturer, said this was the first
time he's heard of his alarm used in this way: worn by a buoy, not a child.
"I invented this product really for the parent and the home, because this is
where the kids are drowning. That's where they need help, but so many more
people have picked it up enthusiastically," he said.
Other uses include for ship workers who might fall overboard undetected, seniors
working in water therapy programs, and pet owners keeping Fido safe around their
pool, Lyons said.
Martin said on the first day the alarm was installed, a little girl at the YMCA
taking swim lessons was rescued after falling off the steps into the water while
her instructor worked with another child.
"I think what it's done is made the rest of the staff here more aware that we do
make rescues. Now everyone hears it," Martin said.
The backup provided by other staff members can be essential to a lifeguard's
success during a rescue, Carper said.
"When you go through a rescue situation, there are a dozen things going through
your mind," Carper said. "You may have a back injury or a stroke or there may be
things with the rescue itself.
Now, when we lifeguard by ourselves, we don't have to worry about clearing the
pool, calling the backup guard and calling 911. We can focus on the first aid.
I'm very pleased with it."
Test Procedure
Date Effective
12/13/06
Version
01
Terrapin Communications Inc.
YMCA
test procedure
Title:
Safety Turtle Test Procedure for YMCA
Page PAGE 1 of
NUMPAGES 2
1. GOAL
To establish a standard set of procedures for testing and
operating a YMCA Safety Turtle system consisting of Model SB102 and Turtle
and/or Panic Button sensors.
2. APPLICATION
2.1For outdoor pool
use, Turtle sensors should be purchased with the Turtle sock accessory, and kept
out of heavy or prolonged rain if possible.
2.2After initial
setup has been completed, a weekly or as required test should be conducted to
verify that the system is working properly.
3. Test procedure for the Turtle using
Integrator Base Station only
3.1 The Turtle is tested with the Integrator Base Station
in Test Mode and its
Transmitter plugged in. The Secondary Alarm will not sound.
3.2 Set the Integrator Base Station to Test Mode
by pressing its moon-shaped button (the amber light will come on).
3.3 Partially immerse
the Turtle in the pool and verify that the Base Station is beeping slowly. Dry
Turtle with tissue immediately so beeping stops.
3.4To increase the
volume of the test beep, hold down the moon-shaped button while the beep is
sounding. Release the button when the desired test beep volume is reached. To
decrease the volume, release the button and the hold it down until the volume
drops. As long as the Integrator Base Station is not unplugged, it will remain
at the set volume, so this only need be done once.
3.5When beeping
stops, next Turtle may be tested as above.
3.6Test Panic
button(s) by holding down switch till beeping occurs, then release.
3.7The Integrator
Base Station will automatically switch from Test Mode to Active Mode in 15
minutes. Do not let this happen while testing is in progress. To restore 15
minute interval, press moon-shaped button to first turn off amber light, then
again to turn it back on.
3.8If some [but not
all] sensor(s) fail to cause beeping in Test Mode, their batteries are
nearing middle age, and should be replaced within 3 months. This means ordering
a Turtle sensor @ $30 from Terrapin, or following battery replacement
instructions for Panic Button.
3.9Turtles that do
not initiate beeping still need to be dried carefully, otherwise they will
initiate alarm when the Integrator Base Station goes back to Active Mode.Mark “low battery” sensors, and do not retest them in Test Mode.
These sensors must be tested in Active Mode – see 4.
3.10If a Turtle fails
to dry within a few minutes [due to prolonged or quick succession immersions],
wrap it in
aluminum foil or remove from pool area [out of range]
until it dries, so it cannot disrupt the system.
4 Test
procedure for testing secondary alarm
The horn on the Secondary Alarm is very loud, so test
Secondary Alarm off hours, or after warning staff.
The Secondary Alarm can be tested end to end [1st
Method] or stand alone [2nd Method].
1st Method
4.1 The Base Station is in
Active Mode
(amber light off).
4.2 Follow step 3.3.
4.3Press moon-shaped
button to acknowledge alarm. This will reduce volume at the Integrator Base
Station and silence the Secondary Alarm. The Base Station will silence only
after Turtle is “dry”.
2nd Method
4.4Unplug the
Transmitter from the Integrator Base Station. This will activate the Secondary
Alarm.
4.5Immediately plug
the Transmitter back into the Integrator Base Station. This will deactivate the
Secondary Alarm.
5 False Alarms
Keep Turtles away from heavy pool splashing and puddles.
For outdoor pool use, Turtle sensors should be purchased
with the Turtle sock accessory, and kept out of
heavy or prolonged rain if possible.
Immediately after immersion, absorb water around Turtle with
towel. If possible, then remove Turtle from ultra-high humidity for 10 - 15
minutes to ensure complete drying.
The Redwoods Group, Commercial
Specialty Insurers, makes about 1800-200 visits
to YMCA branches every year, visiting the swimming pool nearly every time
(assuming one is present). This is a common suggestion/recommendation for the
pool area as very few have alarm systems that allow the guard to simply start a
rescue without potentially having to waste time getting to an alarm buzzer or
(worse yet) a telephone to initiate the protocol.
A portable aquatic-emergency summoning device should be employed instead of a
hard-wired emergency button or telephone in the pool area. Such a device would
allow the lifeguard to respond nearly immediately to an aquatic emergency,
rather than having travel from where s/he was standing to the emergency call
button and then to the distressed swimmer. The lost time often precludes the
guard from meeting the 10-second standard for reaching the distressed swimmer.
Such devices can be obtained from several sources. Appropriate protocols
combined with a commercial version of the Safety Turtle® (see
http://www.safetyturtle.com/)