California’s New Emergency System Aims to Make Beaches More Accessible
Americas, Built Environment, Disaster, June 18 2021
USA: Randy Dean’s passion project started three years ago out of a beat-up plastic suitcase.
A strobe light screwed into a case, a 6-volt battery, a switch and Dean’s desire to help people who are deaf or hard of hearing evolved into the Beach Emergency Evacuation Lights System.
On Friday, the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors launched a BEELS pilot program at Torrance Beach.
County officials equipped two buildings and lifeguard towers with nine loudspeakers and 48 strobe lights. The system relays audible warnings in English and Spanish, accompanied by flashing LED strobe lights that can be seen up to half a mile away. The speakers output sound up to 109 decibels.
BEELS is the first of its kind. In the event of an emergency — such as a tsunami, rip current or shark sighting — lifeguards will activate the system.
Warnings can be for just one beach or widespread, and signs posted in the parking lot will help visitors decipher the strobes: fast means full evacuation, slow is for a water-only evacuation.
The design mimics fire alarms and doorbells with strobe lights, [...]