Case Study
17th September 2024
Sunderland is a city with a rich maritime history, and the Riverside Sunderland development is at the heart of our most ambitious regeneration efforts in decades, revitalising the banks of the River Wear. With the transformation taking place in Sunderland and our close relationship with the water, we hold a significant responsibility to ensure the safety of everyone who lives, works, and plays by the sea and riverside.
Sunderland City Council’s Local Services team has previously relied on manual checks to ensure that lifebuoys, a critical piece of safety equipment, remain in place. These checks are conducted weekly, with all inspections recorded on paper, which are then uploaded to a digital system.
The Sunderland Smart City and Local Services teams identified a need for a more efficient and reliable way to monitor lifebuoys in real time, ensuring that these life-saving devices are always available when needed and that any issues, such as theft or vandalism, are promptly addressed.
Additionally, by improving monitoring and maintenance of lifebuoys, an opportunity to free up time for council colleagues and improve record-keeping was recognised. This pilot also aims to reduces reliance on paper records, prevent duplication of recording efforts, and standardise the format in which data is collected.
In response to this need, Sunderland City Council is piloting the use of smart sensors installed within lifebuoy holders, thereby enhancing safety measures by the water. The pilot leverages Sunderland’s expansive LoRaWAN network, enabled by our unique 20-year joint venture partnership with Boldyn Networks, which covers 153 km² of the city and supports a range of IoT applications.
The 11 most frequently triggered locations across the city have been chosen for the pilot of this technology. Our smart sensors are designed to detect when a lifebuoy has been removed from its holder. When a lifebuoy is deployed, the sensor automatically notifies the Local Services team via a mobile application, allowing for immediate investigation and replacement if necessary.
Alongside the hardware solution, operators can use a mobile application to conduct statutory checks on the condition of both the lifebuoys and associated safety signage in the area. This digital approach not only enhances the efficiency of maintenance checks but also improves the reliability of the safety equipment, ensuring that it is always in good working order when required.
The introduction of smart sensors in lifebuoy holders is a significant step forward in enhancing public safety along Sunderland’s waterfront. Our smart city programme is committed to ensuring that no one and nowhere is left behind, using innovative solutions to enhance the quality of life for residents.
By enabling real-time monitoring, the pilot ensures that lifebuoys are always in place and functional, drastically reducing the time it takes to respond to any issues. This proactive approach to safety management not only improves the efficiency and reliability of the city’s safety services but also has the potential to save lives.
Through leveraging IoT and real-time data, the Sunderland Smart City and Local Services teams are keeping Wearside’s community safer, and demonstrating how digital transformation can lead to tangible improvements in public safety and operational efficiency.