Media Articles and Coverage

CTV's Canada AM features Safety Turtle
Special Wristband May Help Prevent Kids' Drownings

Broadcast: CTV Canada AM 05/21/2005
Host: Marci Ien
Guest: Bob Lyons, Inventor of "Safety Turtle"

IEN: This is the Safety Turtle. It's a wristband for children who can't swim. When the turtle gets wet it triggers an alarm that will alert those nearby. Joining us now from Ottawa is the inventor of the Safety Turtle, Bob Lyons.

Bob, good to see you.

LYONS: Good to see you.

IEN: Why did you invent this device? It's kind of a personal experience, right?

LYONS: I think there is a need for parents to have tools to help them. This isn't just about supervising your kids, it's about preparing for the unexpected. And how do you prepare for the unexpected? There's different ways you can do that. But the Safety Turtle is certainly one of them.

IEN: You had an experience, as I understand it, with a neighbour's child?

LYONS: It was actually a friend.

IEN: A friend's child.

LYONS: Yeah, yeah. A childhood friend. His daughter spent 20 minutes under a solar blanket and was brain-damaged. That happened in the early eighties. And I never forgot that.

IEN: Hence, your invention. So, how does it work? Tell us about it. Show us.

LYONS: Okay. Well, here is the turtle that you put on the child's wrist. It locks with a key. And you notice it's a pretty attractive turtle, and kids like to wear it. And that's very important

IEN: It almost looks like a watch, like a wristband.

LYONS: That's right.

IEN: Okay.

LYONS: They like turtles. Franklin the Turtle.

IEN: That's right.

LYONS: So, if they don't want to take it off, and they remind the parent to put it on. That's what you want. And of course if they're not wearing it it doesn't protect them. And that's really the key. The key to the thing is having it on the child all the time except when you're taking them in the bath or the pool. And as soon as it's dipped in the water it sounds an alarm, as we will see in a few minutes.

IEN: Oh, okay, go ahead. [Bob Lyons demonstrates the alarm]

Oh, there you go. That's definitely something that will alert parents or caregivers. We talk about kids being supervised at all times when they're near swimming pools or near the water. But so many supervised toddlers are drowning. How do you explain that?

LYONS: We've made some progress with the drowning rates. But I really think the emphasis is on preparing for the unexpected. There are limitations in supervision. We always want to watch our kids as closely as possible. But the key to this is that people watching the show understand that the victims were watching their kids. And something unexpected happened. So, it's all about preparing for the unexpected with layers of protection. This is one. This is the so-called last layer of protection.

IEN: And your Safety Turtle isn't just for kids, right? It's for pets as well?

LYONS: That's right. A lot of pets drown in pools, and we don't necessarily have layers of protection for pets. So you just Velcro this onto the dog collar or the cat collar, and it sounds the alarm whether it's the pool or the boat or wherever.

IEN: Well, Bob Lyons, it's been a pleasure speaking with you this morning.

LYONS: Thank you very much.

IEN: Great invention.

LYONS: Thank you for the opportunity.

IEN: Okay.

© Copyright 2005 CTV Television Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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