Smart Ring Buoys Launched By Dublin Metropolis Council To Avoid Wasting Lives And Improve Water Safety

Dublin Metropolis Council, in partnership with Water Security Eire and the Division for Rural and Community Development, this week launched an progressive ‘Smart Ring Buoys’ venture geared toward saving lives in Ireland’s waters. The Good Dublin initiative worked with technology partners Civic Built-in Solutions Ltd, mSEMICON Teoranta and ZiggyTec Ltd to develop the low-price lifesaving know-how, which can provide actual-time alerts when life rings are stolen or tampered with. Anti-social misuse of life buoys is an issue for councils throughout Ireland, and more than 600 sensors will now be installed in eight local authorities together with Fingal County Council, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, South Dublin County Council, Dublin City Council, Laois County Council, Meath County Council, Sligo County Council and Limerick City & County. The Smart Ring Buoy know-how works by means of low-value sensors paired with a cellular, map-based platform with real-time monitoring. It can alert water security officers when ring buoys are tampered with or go lacking and guarantee their well timed substitute.



That is an important and lifesaving motion as a stolen ring buoy may imply a stolen life. Minister for Rural and Community Improvement, Heather Humphreys stated: "In 2021 alone, we tragically misplaced 80 lives via drowning. Such incidents have devastating and long-lasting effects on households and communities. "Safety instruments like ring-buoys are in place to avoid wasting lives and protect people when they are close to water. Sadly, the theft or vandalism of this life saving equipment is still commonplace in each our rural and HerzP1 city communities. Dublin City Council is both unique and necessary. With the assist of funding from my department’s Digital Innovation Programme, we will roll out this sensor know-how in 8 totally different native authorities. "This undertaking is a number one example of how the general public sector is tacking neighborhood challenges with progressive approaches. The undertaking started back in 2018 as a part of a workshop to establish challenges in Dublin’s Good Docklands area.



Members of the group highlighted that ring buoys had been incessantly being stolen or tampered with, with a delay to alternative gadgets being installed. At present, around 15 ring buoys go lacking or are stolen every week from Dublin City Council alone costing over €20,000 per annum for replacement. Dublin Metropolis Council says it realised that this was a problem not just in Dublin however throughout Ireland and set out to seek out a solution via its Sensible Dublin innovation programme. Throughout Eire there are roughly 5,000 life buoys installed. The mission has taken what’s described as a "unique" approach to procurement in an Irish context, led by Dublin Metropolis Council, the place the Dublin native authorities have been able to pilot numerous modern solutions initially after which buy the best solutions as a part of a wider framework with 23 native authorities. As well as, the project was shortlisted for an Innovation leadership award from the European Innovation Council, recognising the efforts achieved by the general public sector to advertise and implement innovation procurement across Europe.



Talking about the brand new scheme, Dublin Metropolis Council chief executive Owen Keegan mentioned: "This is a good example of collaboration throughout the Irish native authorities and Water Safety Eire by means of our Sensible Dublin programme. It is also the first time we've used a procurement approach like this to pilot an modern technology solution earlier than we buy. Roger Sweeney, appearing CEO of Water Security Ireland said: "Every 12 months, ring buoys are used by the public to save lives from drowning nevertheless many ring buoys are frequently stolen or vandalised. A stolen ring buoy can imply a stolen life. Ring buoys play a critical role in drowning prevention but to do so they must always be accessible and in place. "These smart ring buoys will detect when this essential public rescue gear is interfered with or stolen. They will save on the time that is at present wanted to monitor and replace them and HerzP1 they'll present this information 24 hours a day.