Lifebuoy
Encyclopedia
A lifebuoy, ring buoy, lifering, lifesaver, life preserver or lifebelt, also known as a "kisby ring" or "perry buoy", is a life saving buoy
designed to be thrown to a person in the water, to provide buoyancy
, to prevent drowning
. Some modern lifebuoys are fitted with a seawater-activated light, or lights, to aid rescue at night.
The lifebuoy usually is ring-shaped or horseshoe-shaped and has a connecting line allowing the casualty to be pulled to the rescuer. They are carried by ships and are also located beside bodies of water that have the depth or potential to drown someone. They are often subjected to vandalism, which can lead to heavy fines of up to £5000 and/or imprisonment in the United Kingdom
, as a lack of this essential device has been, in the past, the cause of deaths.
The "kisby ring", or sometimes "Kisbie ring", is thought to be named after Thomas Kisbee (b: 1792, d: 1877) who was a British naval officer.
Lifebuoys are not considered suitable by the Royal Life Saving Society for use in swimming pool
s during emergencies, because they are heavy and hard, whereby throwing them into a crowded pool has the potential to cause more harm than good by injuring either the casualty or nearby pool users. In these locations lifebuoys have been superseded by more modern devices such as the torpedo buoy.
In the United States, Coast Guard approved lifebuoys are considered Type IV personal flotation devices. One Type IV PFD is required on all boats 16 feet or larger (except canoes and kayaks).
Buoy
A buoy is a floating device that can have many different purposes. It can be anchored or allowed to drift. The word, of Old French or Middle Dutch origin, is now most commonly in UK English, although some orthoepists have traditionally prescribed the pronunciation...
designed to be thrown to a person in the water, to provide buoyancy
Buoyancy
In physics, buoyancy is a force exerted by a fluid that opposes an object's weight. In a column of fluid, pressure increases with depth as a result of the weight of the overlying fluid. Thus a column of fluid, or an object submerged in the fluid, experiences greater pressure at the bottom of the...
, to prevent drowning
Drowning
Drowning is death from asphyxia due to suffocation caused by water entering the lungs and preventing the absorption of oxygen leading to cerebral hypoxia....
. Some modern lifebuoys are fitted with a seawater-activated light, or lights, to aid rescue at night.
The lifebuoy usually is ring-shaped or horseshoe-shaped and has a connecting line allowing the casualty to be pulled to the rescuer. They are carried by ships and are also located beside bodies of water that have the depth or potential to drown someone. They are often subjected to vandalism, which can lead to heavy fines of up to £5000 and/or imprisonment in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, as a lack of this essential device has been, in the past, the cause of deaths.
The "kisby ring", or sometimes "Kisbie ring", is thought to be named after Thomas Kisbee (b: 1792, d: 1877) who was a British naval officer.
Lifebuoys are not considered suitable by the Royal Life Saving Society for use in swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
s during emergencies, because they are heavy and hard, whereby throwing them into a crowded pool has the potential to cause more harm than good by injuring either the casualty or nearby pool users. In these locations lifebuoys have been superseded by more modern devices such as the torpedo buoy.
In the United States, Coast Guard approved lifebuoys are considered Type IV personal flotation devices. One Type IV PFD is required on all boats 16 feet or larger (except canoes and kayaks).