What is the purpose of surveillance in a pool setting?

Surveillance in a pool setting is primarily focused on identifying and responding to signs of drowning or potential emergencies quickly. Lifeguards utilize vigilant observation techniques to monitor all swimmers, ensuring they can detect distress, unusual behavior, or situations that may lead to drowning. Recognizing these signs early is crucial for implementing immediate rescue measures, potentially saving lives.

The other options, while relevant to certain aspects of pool management, do not encapsulate the primary purpose of surveillance. Monitoring the number of guests or encouraging swimming competitions does not directly relate to safety and emergency response as much as recognizing drowning signs does. Ensuring safe diving practices is also important, but it is a more specific task rather than the overarching purpose of surveillance at the pool. The key focus remains on the proactive identification of swimmers in distress to ensure prompt action.