The hovercraft is ideal for the terrain in Davis County. Much of the county is covered by the Great Salt Lake, and when the water is low it leaves miles of mudflats boats can't reach. A particularly hazardous area is Farmington Bay, a muddy marshland that has been the scene of chaos many times for search & rescue teams. Not long ago, the hovercraft saved some duck hunters on the bay. "We had an individual who was stuck in the mud," says DCSO Search & Rescue Commander Erik Bornemeier, "They get out there too far, then they get extremely tired and literally can't move."
"We can't get airboats out there," he adds, "When it's extremely windy, it's hard to get an aircraft or helicopter out there, and even walking out there is impossible."
But their hovercraft overcomes these obstacles and is literally a life saver - for both victims and rescuers. "You have to get there in time, but you have to get there safely," says Bornemeier, "We were putting rescuers in harm's way, but this allows us to hover over ice, mud or water and get right to the patient - to literally reach out our hand and pull them out."
He continues, "It's built like a plane: light, fast, maneuverable. It fills that "what if" need. And it's an awesome asset to have."
Watch Davis County's hovercraft in action when Salt Lake City's Fox 13 News recently took a spin ...
First responders are saving lives worldwide with their Neoteric rescue hovercraft ...
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