Neoteric Rescue Hovercraft excel in Homeland Security exercise

Last week, three Neoteric rescue hovercraft were featured in a major Indiana Department of Homeland Security flood rescue exercise, attended by the Directors of numerous Emergency Management Agencies.

The attendees expressed great surprise at how fast Neoteric hovercraft can maneuver and perform water and flood rescues. After all, Neoteric craft can safely and successfully complete these rescues in a quarter of the time it would take with boats!  

The event took place at the Muscatatuck Urban Training Complex in southern Indiana, the Department of Defense’s largest urban training facility – and immediately appeared as the cover story in the IDHS publication, The Hoosier Responder …

Neoteric Vice President Steve Stafford arranged for the hovercraft to perform in the exercise. Stafford is also a Captain with the Lawrence County Sheriff's Department and the founder of Project H.E.R.O. (Hovercraft Emergency Response Operations), a non-profit organization that uses Neoteric hovercraft to assist rescue and law enforcement agencies in search and rescue missions.

Along with Steve and Susie Stafford with their Project H.E.R.O. hovercraft, other participants included Neoteric President Chris Fitzgerald with a Neoteric flight training hovercraft and first responders from the White River Hazleton Fire Department with their Neoteric rescue hovercraft.

Fire Chief Mark Ellis came to the exercise already impressed with the performance of his department’s hovercraft. As he says, “Our hovercraft can go right over a log, rocky shallow waters, sand, mud, you name it.”

The Muscatatuck Urban Training Complex is used for a variety of training scenarios by a multitude of civilian and military organizations, both foreign and domestic. The 974-acre site offers a globally unique urban and rural multi-domain environment that includes a 180-acre reservoir and more than 120 structures. As described on its website, the facility is “As Real As It Gets.”

As for the Neoteric rescue hovercraft, as this exercise demonstrated, when it comes to water rescue vehicles, they’re as fast, safe and effective as it gets!

Enjoy these few photos of the training exercise, then don’t miss the full gallery …

The attendees playing the roles of victims take their places on the submerged structures
at the Muscatatuck Urban Training Complex.

The three Neoteric hovercraft prepare to launch and perform flood rescue exercises.

Steve Stafford pilots his Project H.E.R.O. Neoteric rescue hovercraft.

White River Hazleton Fire Department's Neoteric hovercraft performs a water rescue.

First responders:

Learn more about Neoteric Rescue Hovercraft …