Simplicity and credibility. At the beginning of May, during the 121st edition of the famous Lépine competition, a firefighter from the Somme was twice rewarded for the invention he presented there. Baptized ROOlivier Rognon’s innovation could well revolutionize the way victims are taken into account and the safety of responders during disasters where the speed of extraction is essential.
Olivier Rognon is not a rookie among the firefighters. He started in 1994 as a volunteer in his native region, Franche-Comté, then he turned professional in Paris before arriving, in 2013, at the Departmental Fire and Rescue Service (SDIS) of the Somme, in Amiens. At 47, this strong man has already devoted nearly 30 years of his life to that of others. A long experience that allows him to quickly identify the things that are going well and those that can be improved. “I have a lot of ideas, but this is the first time that I have embarked on the realization of one of them”, recognizes Olivier Rognon. This idea is the RO, a portable and ultra-fast system for extracting victims.
The idea is simple, you still had to think about it
Concretely, this consists of a safety strap, fixed on the harness of the respirator, which the rescuer passes under the arms of the victim, which allows him to get him out of a bad step while keeping his hands free. “This hands-free aspect is essential so that the firefighter or police officer can continue to act while taking the victim out,” insists Olivier Rognon. The other interesting axis is the speed and ease of use. “In emergency situations, the responder is under extreme stress. The goal was to create a device that can be used reflexively, without necessarily thinking. And what could be more reflex than putting on a belt? “explains the firefighter.
If the idea may seem silly, its design is much less so. Moreover, its inventor has been refining the final prototype for 6 years, in his living room, with the family sewing machine. And it works, the demonstrations he made in front of his colleagues blew them away. The success met by the RO at the last Lépine competition is proof if it were needed, but the consecration comes from above: “The 2nd Prize of the Prefect of Police of Paris [à la Foire de Paris]it’s really something, it gives me unexpected visibility and credibility, “says the firefighter again.
And his invention interests. Not only his attached SDIS, but other fire departments in France and even in Switzerland or Monaco. It remains to launch the manufacture of the finished product that Olivier wishes to entrust to partners. “It must remain inexpensive, less than 200 euros,” he says. Because he knows very well that money is the sinews of war for departmental councils. He would also like part of the price to be donated to the wards of the firefighters.