Celia Seguin1, Gilles Blaquière1, Anderson Loundou2, Pierre Michelet3, Thibaut Markarian4. 1. Emergency Medical Service - SAMU 40, Centre Hospitalier Layné, Mont de Marsan, France. 2. Health Assessment Research Unit, EA 3279, Department of Public Health, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France. 3. Emergency Department, Hôpital de la Timone, UMR MD2 P2COE, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France. 4. Emergency Department, Hôpital de la Timone, UMR MD2 P2COE, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France. Electronic address: thibaut.markarian@ap-hm.fr.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Drowning literature have highlighted the submersion time as the most powerful predictor in assessing the prognosis. Reducing the time taken to provide a flotation device and prevent submersion appears of paramount importance. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can provide the location of the swimmer and a flotation device. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this simulation study was to evaluate the efficiency of a UAV in providing a flotation device in different sea conditions, and to compare the times taken by rescue operations with and without a UAV (standard vs UAV intervention). Several comparisons were made using professional lifeguards acting as simulated victims. A specifically-shaped UAV was used to allow us to drop an inflatable life buoy into the water. RESULTS: During the summer of 2017, 28 tests were performed. UAV use was associated with a reduction of time it took to provide a flotation device to the simulated victim compared with standard rescue operations (p < 0.001 for all measurements) and the time was reduced even further in moderate (81 ± 39 vs 179 ± 78 s; p < 0.001) and rough sea conditions (99 ± 34 vs 198 ± 130 s; p < 0.001). The times taken for UAV to locate the simulated victim, identify them and drop the life buoy were not altered by the weather conditions. CONCLUSION: UAV can deliver a flotation device to a swimmer safely and quickly. The addition of a UAV in rescue operations could improve the quality and speed of first aid while keeping lifeguards away from dangerous sea conditions.
BACKGROUND: Drowning literature have highlighted the submersion time as the most powerful predictor in assessing the prognosis. Reducing the time taken to provide a flotation device and prevent submersion appears of paramount importance. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can provide the location of the swimmer and a flotation device. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this simulation study was to evaluate the efficiency of a UAV in providing a flotation device in different sea conditions, and to compare the times taken by rescue operations with and without a UAV (standard vs UAV intervention). Several comparisons were made using professional lifeguards acting as simulated victims. A specifically-shaped UAV was used to allow us to drop an inflatable life buoy into the water. RESULTS: During the summer of 2017, 28 tests were performed. UAV use was associated with a reduction of time it took to provide a flotation device to the simulated victim compared with standard rescue operations (p < 0.001 for all measurements) and the time was reduced even further in moderate (81 ± 39 vs 179 ± 78 s; p < 0.001) and rough sea conditions (99 ± 34 vs 198 ± 130 s; p < 0.001). The times taken for UAV to locate the simulated victim, identify them and drop the life buoy were not altered by the weather conditions. CONCLUSION:UAV can deliver a flotation device to a swimmer safely and quickly. The addition of a UAV in rescue operations could improve the quality and speed of first aid while keeping lifeguards away from dangerous sea conditions.
Authors: Anna M Johnson; Christopher J Cunningham; Evan Arnold; Wayne D Rosamond; Jessica K Zègre-Hemsey Journal: Open Access Emerg Med Date: 2021-11-16
Authors: Marlena Robakowska; Daniel Ślęzak; Przemysław Żuratyński; Anna Tyrańska-Fobke; Piotr Robakowski; Paweł Prędkiewicz; Katarzyna Zorena Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-08-29 Impact factor: 4.614
Authors: Carsten Lott; Anatolij Truhlář; Anette Alfonzo; Alessandro Barelli; Violeta González-Salvado; Jochen Hinkelbein; Jerry P Nolan; Peter Paal; Gavin D Perkins; Karl-Christian Thies; Joyce Yeung; David A Zideman; Jasmeet Soar Journal: Notf Rett Med Date: 2021-06-10 Impact factor: 0.826