Krzysztof Jurołajć, a paramedic in Olsztyn, who has been using the system
Olsztyn in Poland claims to have become the first city in the world to use blockchain to assist emergency services in reducing response times and potentially saving lives.
SmartKey connected an Ethereum smart contract to a Teltonika smart key device and app to enable fire, ambulance and police teams to enter any part of the closed district or any secure building within the city safely and securely, without having to track down a keyholder or wait for permission.
Linking physical world to blockchain
SmartKey connects the world of physical values, like access to locations and devices, with the blockchain of things. The company explained that while this pilot uses a physical device, supplied by Teltonika, one of the world’s largest producers of smart devices and an app, SmartKey technology does not always require this.
SmartKey’s vision is to be the enabler for the smart cities of the future, connecting multiple sources of data, via public blockchain, to power transport, utilities and infrastructure.
“The balance between the safety and security offered by access gates and vehicle barriers and the need for our rescue services to perform their duties without obstruction is a delicate one,” said Gustaw Marek Brzezin, marshall of the Warmińsko-Mazurskie Voivodeship, the province of which Olsztyn is the capital city.
“The balance between the safety and security offered by access gates and vehicle barriers and the need for our rescue services to perform their duties without obstruction is a delicate one”
He continued: “The use of blockchain and SmartKey technology seems to be like the perfect solution, giving reassurance to building owners and inhabitants, but also freedom for our emergency services.
“Locating a keyholder or waiting to gain access to closed districts costs us valuable time; with SmartKey it is instant and we are excited to be the first city in the world to use this, and proud that Warmia and Masuria citizens will take advantage of such innovation.”
Szymon Fiedorowicz, CEO of SmartKey, said that “time is everything” when it comes to emergency services and added: “By using the blockchain to allow seamless access to secure areas we can help to save lives. With this project we are also bringing to life smart city technology, enabled by smart contracts on the blockchain and this helps to lay the groundwork for smart cities of the future.”
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