Plastic Water Rescue Equipment: Assuring Safe Journeys and Emergency Support

Plastic Water Rescue Equipment:

Assuring Safe Journeys and Emergency Support

 

Amid the downpours, violent winds, and overall uncooperative weather during the rainy season, water-related activities – whether part of daily life or tourism – can become more hazardous. In addition to keeping up-to-date with weather forecasts, it is crucial to familiarize ourselves with the essential plastic tools that should be readily available to assist in emergencies

In this Vinyl Article, we invite you to learn about life-saving water rescue equipment and the plastics that can save lives.

 

Get to know the life-saving gear

Life Jacket

• A jacket is typically in orange or red for high visibility, facilitating the search and rescue process.
  • The inside is filled with foam to assist in flotation.
  • The outside is covered with durable nylon fabric.
• Reflective strips made from PVC plastic help in search operations during the night.
• A whistle made from lightweight PP or ABS plastic is attached to the jacket. It can signal location audibly and is designed to function even when wet.
• Straps made from PP plastic or nylon and a buckle made from robust ABS plastic ensure durability and strength.

Choosing an appropriately sized life jacket and wearing it correctly—by tightening the straps securely and fastening all points—can save your life. If one falls into the water, the life jacket can turn the wearer upwards and keep their mouth above the water level to breathe.

 

Did You Know?

Life jackets used on aircraft are inflatable to save space. These jackets contain a carbon dioxide (CO2) cylinder to inflate the life jacket, activated by pulling a cord.

During the safety demonstration on an airplane, the flight crew will advise passengers to inflate their life jackets only after exiting the aircraft. This is because if the jacket inflates while still inside a sinking aircraft, it could trap the wearer and pose a potential danger.

 

Lifebuoy Ring

• The orange ring is made from High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), a type of plastic which is durable, resistant to sunlight and seawater. The inside is filled with Polyurethane (PU) Foam to float.
• Reflective tape, made from PVC, is attached around the ring for better visibility.
• The rescue rope, made from Polypropylene (PP), a type of plastic, floats and does not absorb water, maintaining its lightweight and strength when used in water. It is typically 30 meters long and attached to the ring.

If someone falls into the water:

X Do not throw the ring directly at the person, as it might hit and injure them.

√ Throw the ring slightly beyond them and then pull the rope so it floats within their reach.

 

For those traveling by large boat, other life-saving plastic equipment includes:

Liferaft · Made from PVC, PU, or synthetic rubber. · Installed on a deck platform on a ship, it can be quickly released to fall into the sea. · Typical rafts can accommodate 15-25 people and are equipped with food, water, medicine, and survival gear based on the number of people they are designed to hold.

Rescue Boat · Made from synthetic rubber. · The boat is typically 3.8 – 8.5 meters long and can carry a minimum of 5 people. · It is used for rescuing people within a short range from the boat.

Lifeboats ·Made from PVC, fiberglass, and composite plastics. ·The boat is rigid, inflatable, and fire-resistant. ·It is used to evacuate passengers when abandoning the ship is necessary. ·It can carry up to 150 people and contains survival equipment inside.

 

As you can see, plastic is the primary material used in life-saving equipment due to its strength, durability, lightweight, and vibrant colors that help search and rescue operations. Besides these devices that can save our lives in emergencies, we need to know how to use them correctly to ensure our safety and those around us.

 

Sources :

• com มาทำความรู้จักและวิธีใช้ “LIFERAFT” แพชูชีพช่วยชีวิตในกรณีเรือจมกันครับ : คุณอ่านครั้งเดียวอาจช่วยได้หลายชีวิต (22 Apr 2014) : https://pantip.com/topic/31931469
• คู่มือความปลอดภัยในการเดินทางทางน้ำ โดยกรมเจ้าท่า กระทรวงคมนาคม : https://md.go.th/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%95%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%90%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%99%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%B7%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%B9%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%B5%E0%B8%9pdf
• Floating Rope: https://www.accessropes.com/product-category/floating-rope/
• Great Circle Life Rafts – What’s to know about life rafts (Apr 2021): https://greatcircleliferafts.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/What_s_to_Know_About_Life_Rafts.pdf
• Gone Outdoor: What materials are life jacket made of? : https://goneoutdoors.com/materials-life-jackets-made-of-7208864.html
• Marine Insight – Difference between Lifeboats and Rescue Boat (5 Jan 2023): https://www.marineinsight.com/naval-architecture/difference-between-lifeboats-and-rescue-boats/
• RS Life Saving – Lifebuoy Ring – The Ultimate FAQ Guide: https://www.rslifesaving.com/lifebuoy-ring/
• Survitec – Survival Technology, FAQ – Lifejackets: https://survitecgroup.com/faqs/faq-lifejackets/
• Simple Flying – How do aircraft life jackets work? (26 Feb 2021): https://simpleflying.com/how-do-aircraft-life-jackets-work/

 

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