Лондонская скорая помощь внедрит подводные дроны для спасения утопающих

As denizens of the capital seek to cool off with open water swimming, the city’s emergency healthcare response professionals will be supported by technology that can help protect all parties The London Ambulance Service NHS Trust is to use underwater drone technology to support its response to potential drowning incidents. The organisation has spent more than £40,000 on acquiring four units, which will be controlled by the specialist Hazardous Area Response Team (HART). The submersibles are designed to use sonar technology to locate someone in distress underwater, before then being directed to the location and using an arm attachment to bring potential casualties to the surface. All the while, the technology will be “sending high-quality underwater images back to the operator”, according to the trust – which claims to be the UK’s first ambulance service to deploy underwater drones. Ambulances in the capital typically response to 50 or more drowning incidents each year, and the decision to invest in the vehicles comes following “several sweltering heatwaves this summer, prompting many Londoners to take to open water to cool off”, the trust said. Related content - Home Office preps new ESN business case this year with updated timeline and spending - HMRC extends Airwave device deal for criminal investigation units until 2027 to cover ESN delays - Emergency Services Network: Home Office claims majority of technical groundwork ‘to start mass transition’ has been done Having been transported to the edge of a body of water, the technology can reportedly be deployed in less than two minutes. As well as expediting rescue efforts, the drones can also help reduce the need for paramedics to put themselves in danger in treacherous water, according to the NHS. HART paramedic Christel Oweis said: “Even for experienced first responders, entering the water to rescue someone can be very challenging. These new drones will help us quickly locate and reach people submerged in the water, while reducing the need for paramedics to undertake potentially dangerous rescue attempts themselves. We train to work in dangerous or risky places so we can respond when people need us most. And that includes when people get into difficulty in London’s rivers, lakes and waterways. All HART paramedics are trained to carry out rescues in fast-moving water, and the drones are now an integral part of that training. Sessions take place in a practice pool or at a white-water rafting venue and involve simulated scenarios using both mannequins and real people.” Natasha Wills, director of resilience and specialist assets at London Ambulance Service NHS Trust, added: “This investment in innovation will save Londoners’ lives and we are proud to be the first ambulance service in the country to start using underwater drones. But of course, we would prefer not to need to use them. Open water swimming can be very dangerous. We urge people to stay safe, avoid swimming in unsupervised water, and cool off only in locations where it is safe to do so.”