Virtual reality lifeguarding scenarios as a potential training solution for pool lifeguards

Influence of Vigilance Performance on Lifeguard Gaze Behaviour

The present study sought to examine the gaze behaviours exhibited by lifeguards with different levels of experience while performing a task focused on detecting drowning incidents across extended periods. The results indicated a gradual decline in detection performance over time, regardless of the lifeguards' levels of experience. Analysis of the participants' gaze behaviours unveiled that this decline was associated with alterations in both the number and duration of fixations. The results indicated that lifeguards with greater experience maintained higher levels of detection performance and fixation numbers for extended durations, while exhibiting consistent fixation durations throughout the task, in contrast to their less experienced counterparts. These findings offer initial indications that lifeguards with more experience may possess an attentional advantage during tasks requiring sustained vigilance.

An expert-novice comparison of lifeguard specific vigilance performance

INTRODUCTION

Lifeguards must maintain alertness and monitor an aquatic space across extended periods. However, lifeguard research has yet to investigate a lifeguard's ability to maintain performance over time and whether this is influenced by years of certified experience or the detection difficulty of a drowning incident. The aim of this study was to examine whether lifeguard experience, drowning duration, bather number, and time on task influences drowning detection performance.

METHOD

A total of 30 participants took part in nine 60-minute lifeguard specific tasks that included 11 drowning events occurring at five-minute intervals. Each task had manipulated conditions that acted as the independent variables, including bather number and drowning duration.

RESULTS

The experienced group detected a greater number of drowning events per task, compared to novice and naïve groups. Findings further highlighted that time, bather number, and drowning duration has a substantial influence on lifeguard specific drowning detection performance.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

It is hoped that the outcome of the study will have applied application in highlighting the critical need for lifeguard organizations to be aware of a lifeguard's capacity to sustain attention, and for researchers to explore methods for minimizing any decrement in vigilance performance.

Cue utilization and pool lifeguarding

INTRODUCTION

Amongst pool lifeguards, the capacity to identify drowning swimmers quickly and accurately depends on the interpretation of critical cues. However, assessing the capacity for cue utilization amongst lifeguards at present is costly, time-consuming, and largely subjective. The aim of this study was to test the relationship between cue utilization and the detection of drowning swimmers in a series of virtual public swimming pool scenarios.

METHOD

Eighty-seven participants with or without lifeguarding experience engaged in three virtual scenarios, two of which were target scenarios where drowning events occurred within a 13 minute or 23 minute period of watch. Cue utilization was assessed using the pool lifeguarding edition of the EXPERTise 2.0 software following which 23 participants were classified with higher cue utilization, while the remaining participants were classified with lower cue utilization.

RESULTS

The results revealed that participants with higher cue utilization were more likely to have acquired experience as a lifeguard, were more likely to detect the drowning swimmer within a three minute period, and, in the case of the 13 minute scenario, recorded a greater dwell time on the drowning victim prior to the drowning event.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that cue utilization is associated with drowning detection performance in a simulated environment and could be employed as a basis for assessments of performance amongst lifeguards in the future.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

Measures of cue utilization are associated with the timely detection of drowning victims in virtual pool lifeguarding scenarios. Employers and trainers of lifeguards can potentially augment existing lifeguarding assessment programs to quickly and cost-effectively identify the capabilities of lifeguards. This is especially useful for new lifeguards or where pool lifeguarding is a seasonal activity that might be associated with skill decay.