Ocean Safety Department transitions to digital reporting system

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The Honolulu Ocean Safety Department is transitioning to a fully digital reporting system to modernize its operations.

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Ocean Safety officials will now use an application called Watchtower, a real-time digital platform, instead of logging records with paper log sheets, replacing decades-old manual record keeping.

By digitalizing and streamlining reports, department leadership are looking to improve operational efficiency, data accuracy, and situational awareness across Oahu’s lifeguard towers and rescue operations.

“The implementation of Watchtower represents an important investment in the future of ocean safety on Oahu,” said Ocean Safety Chief Kurt Lager. “Access to real-time information allows us to better understand what is happening across our beaches, make data-driven decisions, and respond more effectively to changing conditions.”

The new platform allows Ocean Safety officials to have a more immediate overall view of reports and data to more efficiently plan ahead.

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“This transition not only improves efficiency for our personnel in the field, but also strengthens our ability to plan, manage resources, and enhance public safety,” Lager said.

Using Watchtower, lifeguards and supervisors can record daily activities from the field that the rest of the department can access immediately.

The new system is designed to help the department track trends, allocate resources, and support emergency response efforts.

“As our Department continues to grow, embracing technology like Watchtower ensures we are providing the highest level of service to our community,” Lager said.

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Features of the Watchtower platform include: