A monitoring device (200, 202) for monitoring a risk of drowning for users of one or more alarm devices, the alarm devices having one or more detectors configured to detect status data of the user, the device comprising: a controller circuit configured to receive status data from the alarm device, to detect a triggering event, and, in response to the triggering event, to select one of a plurality of alarm protocols based on the status data; a user interface unit configured to convey the selected alarm protocol to a monitoring device user, wherein the alarm device transmits a signal from at or below a water surface; and a transceiver configured to receive a signal from the alarm device, wherein the signal comprises the status data, and the triggering event comprises a reduction and/or cessation of the signal from the alarm device, wherein the plurality of alarm protocols includes at least a drowning alarm indicating a higher risk level of an alarm device user drowning and a concern alarm indicating a lower risk level of an alarm device user drowning, wherein the status data comprises a location of the alarm devices or distance from the monitoring device, and the controller circuit is configured to select the drowning alarm if the alarm device was in a water pool region prior to the triggering event, and wherein when one of the alarm devices has a drowning alarm associated therewith, the controller circuit is configured to identify alarm devices in a region adjacent the alarm device having the drowning alarm associated therewith and to send control instructions to the alarm devices in the region adjacent the alarm device having the drowning alarm associated therewith, wherein the control instructions are configured to initiate an indicator on the alarm devices in the region adjacent the alarm device having the drowning alarm associated therewith. a controller circuit configured to receive status data from the alarm device, to detect a triggering event, and, in response to the triggering event, to select one of a plurality of alarm protocols based on the status data; a user interface unit configured to convey the selected alarm protocol to a monitoring device user, wherein the alarm device transmits a signal from at or below a water surface; and a transceiver configured to receive a signal from the alarm device, wherein the signal comprises the status data, and the triggering event comprises a reduction and/or cessation of the signal from the alarm device, wherein the plurality of alarm protocols includes at least a drowning alarm indicating a higher risk level of an alarm device user drowning and a concern alarm indicating a lower risk level of an alarm device user drowning, wherein the status data comprises a location of the alarm devices or distance from the monitoring device, and the controller circuit is configured to select the drowning alarm if the alarm device was in a water pool region prior to the triggering event, and wherein when one of the alarm devices has a drowning alarm associated therewith, the controller circuit is configured to identify alarm devices in a region adjacent the alarm device having the drowning alarm associated therewith and to send control instructions to the alarm devices in the region adjacent the alarm device having the drowning alarm associated therewith, wherein the control instructions are configured to initiate an indicator on the alarm devices in the region adjacent the alarm device having the drowning alarm associated therewith.