Darren Forde is a civil engineer with a long career in road design and safety with Mayo County Council behind him. He is also an experienced emergency medical technician and it was this combination of engineering and medical know-how that inspired him to develop the Eco Powered Cabinet (EPC) to house life-saving equipment and medication in places without power such as beaches, greenways, rivers and mountains.
Forde hit on the idea for a solar and wind-powered cabinet while climbing Croagh Patrick where he noticed the absence of defibrillators on the mountain. Within days of his eureka moment, he had raised more than €6,000 in donations from local businesspeople to get the project moving.
He then took three weeks off to devote himself to designing the cabinet, preparing the patent applications and developing the prototype.
As Forde did the groundwork himself, EPC was started on a shoestring budget made up of local donations and €25,000 in prize money from entrepreneurial competitions and bursaries. The business is now revenue generating.
“The EPC is multifunctional, temperature controlled and constructed from grade 316 stainless steel,” Forde says. “All parts are weatherproof and insulated, allowing the cabinets to be installed in most parts of the world. The options for what can be stored inside are limitless. It can also transmit data from a site – such as water or flood level – as required.”
The contents of an EPC are tailored to suit its location. So, a cabinet near water will contain items such as a life jacket capable of holding two people (because, Forde says, people often drown while trying to save others), an emergency flare and a hypothermic kit.
The cabinets can also store a defibrillator, aspirin medication for chest pain and snakebite anti-venom for export markets such as Australia. Forde is currently in discussion with health authorities about including an Epi pen (to treat life-threatening allergic reactions) as part of the standard kit.
Cabinets are registered with their local ambulance service and when a 999 call is received, the caller is directed to the nearest cabinet and given the access code.
I am also proud that there are 11 local businesses making components for us who are vital cogs in the wheel
— Darren Forde
“The units are remotely monitored, and items replaced as needed,” Forde says. “From our ‘mission control’ we can log live into any cabinet, whether it’s in Australia or Donegal. The cabinets have individually secured compartments and internal cameras as well as CCTV so it’s not worthwhile for anyone to interfere with them.”
“There’s a lot of detail involved in the units,” he adds. “For example, the design ensures that any water flows outwards when the door is opened. Exact positioning can be crucial. In the case of Croagh Patrick, the solar panel has to face south, but the cabinet needs to be sited further away and facing north for access.”
The EPC is made in Mayo and typical customers will include national parks, wildlife organisations, visitor amenities, sports clubs, large estates and local authorities. So far, 13 units have been shipped to Australia and 17 within Ireland and there is growing international interest in the product.
The cost of an EPC depends on what’s inside and its location. The basic cost is around €5,000 but if a unit has to be transported to its site by helicopter, this pushes up the bill. However, Forde says that local businesses and county councils have already shown they are willing to help with funding.
Forde loves his day job and has no desire to give it up. So, when he was sure his idea had legs, he formed a partnership with local businessman, Tom Varley, to set up a stand-alone business that now employs four people.
“I’ve had tremendous support from my community and, so far, the cabinets have saved three lives,” Forde says. “I am also proud that there are 11 local businesses making components for us who are vital cogs in the wheel.”
