Life-saving technology coming to Marquette’s most popular beaches

MARQUETTE, Mich. (WJMN) — As the summer heat draws people to the beaches, one device is helping to save lives. Four new warning towers purchased from the SwimSmart Technology company will soon inform beach goers of current water conditions at Marquette’s most popular beaches in an effort to keep swimmers safe.

Like the old flag system, the new towers will have green, yellow, red and double-red lights to advise beachgoers about current water conditions based on wind speeds and wave heights.

While a green light indicates safe swimming waters and a yellow light, a water advisory, when the red lights turn on, the public is advised not to enter the water.

Rather than rely on manual labor, though, what sets SwimSmart apart is its solar powered technology and automatic live updates direct from the National Weather Service. With the flag system, lifeguards have to turn their attention away from the water if they need to update the water advisory.

Jim Davis, Fire Chief for the City of Marquette, says the four towers—two at McCarty’s Cove and the others at Clark Park and South Beach—should be installed by the end of this month.

In addition to the lights advisory system, the towers will feature an emergency button to contact central dispatch and a rescue ring inside a case.

The SwimSmart towers will not replace lifeguards but will provide peace of mind where there are none:

“With only being able to guard [McCarty’s Cove], we wanted something more to guard the other beaches,” says Davis.

Case studies in the existing five Michigan locations where SwimSmart has already been installed show the system’s effectiveness at keeping swimmers informed and reducing drowning incidents, though Marquette’s beaches haven’t had a drowning since 2010.

The highly visible tower lights will stay on all day, every day, but the brightness of those near residences will be dimmed.

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