London Ambulance Service launches lifesaving underwater drones to help rescue people in danger
By Community Correspondent
New technology will help specialist paramedics find people beneath the surface faster, while keeping rescuers safer
London Ambulance Service is bringing cutting-edge underwater technology to the capital in a major boost to water rescue, becoming the first ambulance service in the UK to deploy underwater drones to help find and rescue people submerged in water.
The Service has invested more than £40,000 in four state-of-the-art underwater drones, giving its specialist Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) a powerful new tool to help save lives in London's rivers, lakes and waterways.
The drones work alongside specialist sonar technology to help paramedics locate people beneath the water's surface.
Once someone has been found, a drone can be sent directly to their location, using an arm attachment to help bring them towards the surface while transmitting high-quality underwater images to the operator.
Most importantly, the drones can be deployed in less than two minutes once the team reaches the water's edge.
This speed can make a vital difference when someone is submerged, as the body uses oxygen more quickly in warm water, leaving rescuers with precious little time to act.
The new technology will also make water rescues safer for paramedics by reducing the need for them to enter potentially dangerous water themselves.
HART Paramedic Christel Oweis said:
“Every second counts when someone is in trouble in the water. These new drones give us another way to quickly locate and reach people who are submerged, while also helping to keep our paramedics safer.
“We train to work in dangerous and challenging environments so we can be there when Londoners need us most. Having this technology alongside our specialist skills means we are even better equipped to respond when people get into difficulty in London's rivers, lakes and waterways.”
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HART paramedics are trained to carry out rescues in fast-moving water, and the underwater drones are now an integral part of their specialist training.
Teams practise their skills in a dedicated pool and at a white-water rafting venue, using realistic simulated scenarios involving both mannequins and people.
This allows paramedics to build confidence using the new technology and prepare for the challenges they could face during a real emergency.
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Director of Resilience & Specialist Assets Natasha Wills said:
“This is an exciting investment in innovation that gives our specialist teams another way to help save lives.
“We are incredibly proud to be the first ambulance service in the country to use underwater drones. They will help our teams find people in difficulty more quickly, while reducing the risks faced by our paramedics during water rescues.
“Of course, our hope is that we never need to use them. Open water can be unpredictable and dangerous, particularly during hot weather. We encourage everyone to enjoy the summer safely and only swim in places where it is safe and supervised.”
