The Norman Township Fire Department’s Assistant Chief Dennis
Jolicoeur and Medical First Responder Larry Waligorski traveled to Neoteric’s
headquarters on the day before Easter to take delivery of their new craft and
complete their hands-on flight training and maintenance certification. The funding for the
department’s rescue hovercraft was provided by a grant.
A volunteer on call department, the Norman Township Fire
Department in Wellston, MI provides fire protection and ambulance service to an
80 sq. mile area in Michigan’s Manistee County.
Waligorski explains the department’s need for a hovercraft: “We
perform water and ice rescues on the rapidly running, narrow, difficult to
access Pine River, with rocks, downed trees and steep banks.”
The Pine River is considered the premier paddle sports venue
in the Midwest; it attracts canoers, kayakers, rafters and fishermen from
across the nation year-round. The first responders say that one asset of the
hovercraft will be to replace, “ice rescues done the old fashioned way: with rope
and ice rescue suits.”
Instructor Chris Fitzgerald briefs Jolicoeur and Waligorski and walks them through a preflight
inspection of their new hovercraft.
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The department had considered purchasing a jet boat, but the
problems with that rescue vehicle were quickly made apparent when, during a
company demo, rocks in the river caused the jet boat to break down.
After discovering Neoteric Hovercraft online, Norman
Township Fire Department personnel visited the Muskegon, Michigan Fire
Department, “who had great things to say about their Neoteric craft,” says
Jolicoeur.
Steve League, Fire Chief of the North Muskegon Fire Department
recently told Neoteric, “Both the North Muskegon and Muskegon Fire Departments
use hovercraft for their ice rescue operations. The hovercraft have saved more
lives than our engines have. Since 1985, 255 people have been rescued or
removed from Muskegon area lakes using hovercraft. 50% would have drowned not
having the hovercraft as a safe rescue tool.”
Larry Waligorski (left) begins his hands-on pilot training as instructor Steve Stafford (right) demonstrates the operation of the hovercraft's controls and how to achieve the proper trim. |
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