The SOS Dan Buoy is one of the biggest changes in marine-rescue devices in decades and is made in Australia.

Designed and developed by SOS Marine, the inflatable SOS Dan buoy is not a lifejacket but a compact flotation unit that can be thrown into the water as a rescue device.

The unique design of the device took out the Excellence Award for the Welfare, Health and Safety category in the Sydney Division of Engineering Excellence Awards.  It is the only flotation device in the world that has been tested to international lifejacket standard, ISO 12402.

Judges said the SOS Dan Buoy “provides the potential to save many lives worldwide by providing a more effective way of ensuring people falling overboard in waterways and at sea have enhanced chances of being found and rescued and staying afloat waiting for rescue, compared with current systems”.

It is compact, simple to use and folds away in an easily stowed carry bag, eliminating storage problems on all boats. It deploys instantly and can be thrown by anyone, man, woman or child to someone who has had the misfortune to go overboard. It should be part of any boat’s safety equipment from a tinny, a sailing boat to a Naval Ship.

The SOS Dan Buoy can be used in fresh or salt water and takes up less room in a fishing tinny than a tackle box. This new, simple to use safety device is for every blue-water boat using waterways. The SOS Dan Buoy is an affordable safety device to be in man-overboard rescues. It is reusable after being serviced.

This prestigious Award comes after the SOS Dan Buoy winning three awards over the past weeks, for 2011 Australian Marine Export Award for Most Innovative Marine Industry Exported Product, the 2011 Australian Business award Product Excellence and Best New Product.

SOS Marine is an Australian manufacturing company who designs specialised lifejackets and safety equipment for the armed forces, police and emergency services. SOS supplies seven naval forces worldwide with safety equipment.