The new iPIRB recently launched by MarineMTS and Telemar UK Limited is said to locate and identify marine casualties fast so that every effort can be concentrated on rescue and saving lives.
The Individual Position Indicating Rescue Beacon (iPIRBTM) consists of a robust and compact, pocket sized, AIS-SART which, in combination with Loc8 and Microplot, provides a reliable way of locating and tracking marine disaster casualties.
Where help has been be summoned to the rough location of an incident, iPIRB™ identifies the precise location of casualties within a search area, either onboard a craft or in the water. Even unconscious casualties can be located, as the beacon is automatically activated on impact with the water. The companies say that in the case when an incident results in multiple casualties, each can be located with absolute accuracy.
The AIS data transmitted by the SART can include an individual’s identity number and other relevant information, as well as their exact GPS location. Passenger and crew names can be included, as well as any health issues so priorities can be established.
iPIRB™ sends its information in real time to all AIS plotters within range and any drift and change in position is tracked and updated on a minute by minute basis.
Wynne Edwards, managing director of Marine MTS, said, “If you know exactly where everyone is in a mass casualty situation, vital time can be saved and every effort is immediately concentrated on their rescue. Fast arrival and action gives victims a far greater chance of survival. We developed iPIRB to deliver this level of accuracy in any situation where there are casualties in the water, whether having come from a helicopter or a boat. Working with satellite technology, we’ve made rescue at sea more precise, and therefore, survival more likely.”
