High-tech rescue buoys

All ships operating on the sea must be approved annually by the registry of the rescue buoy system. Boats in our country also comply with these regulations.

On ships going to sea, we often see pontoon bins hanging on the sides, which are life buoys. The buoys form a small boat or float, they are all housed in a hard plastic case.

Self-propelled lifeboats are used for rescue on rivers, sea and flooded areas with a capacity of 6 - 150 people (depending on type). This type of buoy has been used by many boats in Vietnam for rescue.

Buoy barrel, pumped buoy, EPIRB transceiver (yellow)

When the ship is in danger of sinking, the rescue workers are ordered to leave the ship, the sailors just need to force the rope to start the buoy to the fixed point on the deck, then roll the float into the water.

The tension of the rope will shock the float, the compressed air tank in the buoy, blow the buoy. The buoy turned on and opened a buoy of lifesaving rafts, big and small. The buoy has an orange roof to make it easy to see, on reflective roofs with reflective stripes.

Inside the buoy itself pumped with rafters, dry salaries, drinking water, flashlights, flares, smoke cannons, parachute guns, reflective glass, colored pano, knives, paddles, emergency medicine, anti-shark drugs, pumps foot pedal and buoy repair tools, fishing gear, rain and frost catch, water bucket, heat-resistant clothes .

Outside the self-blown life buoy includes parts: raft, steam pipe, steam chamber, steam bottle, wire rope, rope ladder for people in the water to climb up, in addition to guttering rainwater, stabilizing bag and fastener .

On the buoys, there is an important device, which is an EPIRB emergency signal transceiver . This machine when submerged in seawater will have a hydrostatic switch that automatically activates according to the principle of water infiltrating into a compound, activating into a battery. Thanks to this power supply, the device will send an SOS signal regularly. Each EPIRB is registered with a unique identification number with the competent authority to help identify each ship.

Today all EPIRB marine satellites operate at a dual frequency of 121.5 / 406MHz. The international standard SOS rescue frequency is 406 MHz, the transmitted signal is detected within 3 nautical miles. Some EPIRBs have a frequency of 121.5MHz that can be detected within 15 knots.

Receiving the signal, the ships in the nearby area will pay close attention to rescue. If there is no ship close by, the coastal collection stations of the coastal countries will receive information and inform the surrounding area according to the international maritime treaty. From there the countries will organize a joint search.