Kerlink and Vomatec link emergency services to smart cities

  • November 29, 2021
  • Steve Rogerson

French IoT firm Kerlink and Germany-based Vomatec Innovations, a provider of systems and software for emergency services, are integrating the RescueWave digital management system into LoRaWan-based smart-city networks.

RescueWave, said to be a world’s-first in the domain of digital-management systems for multiple-casualty incidents (MCI), takes traditional command-and-control processes to the next level with a digital triage system and on-scene emergency management software.

Deployed on-scene by members of the responder teams, the system includes electronic triage tags, called Rescue Nodes, that are small, intelligent IoT devices used for each casualty and replacing the traditional paper-based patient tags. Until now, those tags have been filled out by hand and information is collected manually. With RescueWave, the Rescue Nodes automatically transmit encrypted registration and triage information about casualties and their status to the RescueWave mission-control software via LoRa long-range communication. The infrastructure is provided by a mobile Kerlink LoRaWan, featuring Wirnet iStation gateways mounted on command vehicles.

All the information is forwarded to RescueWave servers, where the mission-control software provides automated live statistics, electronic patient records, resource management and dispatch features, so incident command can take informed decisions.

Vomatec and Kerlink’s cooperation aims to take the integration a step further, investigating how smart-city LoRaWans can facilitate system deployment, provide a wide-area coverage and enable additional services, such as through interfaces to control-rooms, hospitals and trauma centres involved in the incident management.

“Vomatec’s RescueWave is highly precise and easy-to-deploy, enabling responders and their back-up staff to manage the chaos that often surrounds MCI events, thus speeding up rescue processes through digitalisation,” said Etienne Ghidossi, key account manager at Kerlink. “In these dangerous and tragic emergency situations, Kerlink’s products are the clear choice because their proven reliability is a key factor in saving lives. This innovative system is a vital component in the growing smart-health vertical.”

Stephan Heuer, managing director of Vomatec, added: “RescueWave provides rapid and effective support in these complex situations from the start. The digital system is designed to serve as a central tool for the first responders, as well as for the incident commanders, from triage in the chaos phase to patient care and transport organisation. Combined with Kerlink’s robust and versatile gateways, RescueWave brings a higher level of efficiency and control in MCI events, which can help save lives.”

Backed by research and field-tested with rescue workers, RescueWave provides emergency services and government officials with a smart-health-and-safety system that enables smart cities to respond to their goals to adopt innovative digital technologies that help them use resources sustainably, make rescue services more efficient and save lives faster in emergency situations.

More than 140,000 Kerlink installations have been rolled out with over 350 clients in 70 countries. Based in France, with subsidiaries in the USA, Singapore, India and Japan, Kerlink is a co-founder and board member of the LoRa Alliance and the uCIFI Alliance.

Vomatec, based in Bad Kreuznach, has been supplying integrated software for security and hazard management since 1992. It supports emergency services, critical infrastructure facilities and corporate security, mainly in manufacturing industries.