Patent ID: 8144020

Claim:
A water alarm device for attachment to a user in a body of water, the device comprising: a buoyant alarm unit including a water sensor and an attachment member connected to the buoyant alarm unit and configured to attach the buoyant alarm unit to the user, the water sensor being configured to sense if a sensing portion of the alarm unit is in contact with water, wherein the buoyant alarm unit and the attachment member are configured so that the buoyant alarm unit floats at a surface of the water such that the sensing portion is generally not in contact with the water when the user is swimming at the surface of the water, and submersion of the sensing portion of the buoyant alarm unit for a predetermined time indicates that the user has an increased risk of drowning; a timer in communication with the water sensor and configured to determine a duration of water contact with the sensing portion of the alarm unit; and wherein the buoyant alarm unit is configured to be submerged when the user is at an increased risk of drowning and to activate an alarm when the duration of water contact is greater than the predetermined time.