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A close call for Yallingup resident Ray Datodi has inspired the development of an innovative bushfire warning system for use in the home.
The semi-retired electronics engineer was at his home in March 2009 when flames came perilously close to his property.
“Never have I experienced the level of anxiety, stress and confusion created by the threat of a bushfire until sighting flames leaping above tree tops no more than 700 metres from our home,” he said.
“It was extremely worrisome that the first I knew of the impending bushfire was hearing water bombers then sighting the flames.”
Mr Datodi said the new technology was developed to complement existing emergency warning systems.
Simply put, the system uses satellite, then VHF radio transmissions and GPS technology to trigger household alarms in fire risk areas. An audible alarm sounds when there is a fire risk and an Incident Controller is able to send specific text messages to the unit. A coloured light warning is also included.
To date Mr Datodi has invested more than $70k of his own money to develop the now patented system to its current “proof-of-concept” stage and he is now looking to government funding and private investors to carry the project through to commercial viability.
“It will require about three to four million dollars to complete the in home system and more to develop a miniaturised version for portable use,” he said.
Mr Datodi believes that making the unit a compulsory requirement in homes will be unnecessary. "People are concerned about fires,” he said, “they are concerned about adequate warning time and it's really something that I think will have market demand."
Wayne Field writes and delivers stories, arguments, encouragements all the time and has a history in both the business sector and now in helping people on a face to face basis. All this writing is still pretty narrowly focused and he is looking to expand. Bringing to bear his writing and his history in Human Resources departments for some of the big players, Wayne is going to observe and report on how business is getting done in the South West.