Attention: First Responders attending #FDIC2022

Does your department still depend on ropes, boats, divers, etc. for water, ice and mud and snow rescues? If so, you’ll definitely want to come to FDIC Outdoor Demo Booth 19403 this Thursday through Saturday to experience a Neoteric Rescue Hovercraft in action and see first-hand how it will vastly improve the safety, ease, speed and success of your rescue operations.

Flat bottom Jon boats and other propeller-driven watercraft are of questionable use in shallow water, swift water, flood, ice and mud rescues; they can pose a serious danger to you and to the lives you’re tasked to save. But a Neoteric hovercraft flies 9 inches above any surface, keeping you above the danger – not in it. It quickly takes you into areas where no other vehicle can go, and it’s the only hovercraft with the ability to brake, back up, and fly in reverse – critical capacities in rescue operations.

But don’t just take our word for it. Here’s what just one of your fellow fire departments has to say about their Neoteric rescue hovercraft …

Neoteric is once again honored to be the only hovercraft exhibitor at the Fire Department Instructors Conference. That isn’t surprising, since Neoteric is the world’s original light hovercraft manufacturer, in business for more than 60 years, with customers in 50+ nations around the world.

Just as FDIC International is a one-of-a-kind experience, so will be your visit to Neoteric Hovercraft Outdoor Demo Booth 19403 this Thursday through Saturday at the FDIC. Don’t miss this chance to learn what a Neoteric Hovercraft can do for you – and to meet Neoteric Hovercraft Founder/President Chris Fitzgerald in person. You’ll never meet anyone who knows more about rescue hovercraft, and he’s eager to answer all your questions!

Learn more about Neoteric Rescue Hovercraft ...

First responders: Save lives safely in ice rescue operations

In ice and water rescues, there is a universally accepted sequence: “reach, throw, row and go.” A “go” rescue is the point at which first responders physically go out on the ice to retrieve the victim – risking their own lives in the process. Statistics show that the most frequent victims in ice rescue operations are animals, children, ice fishermen, skaters, snowmobilers … and first responders.

Fortunately, first responders across the globe have discovered a way to eliminate the risks of “go” ice rescues, along with the “reach, throw and row” risks, as well – the Neoteric rescue hovercraft.

As one example, the Swedish Sea Rescue Society (Svenska Sjöräddnings Sällskapet), founded in 1907, is responsible for 70% of all ice and water rescues in Sweden and they rely on their five Neoteric HoverTrek™ rescue hovercraft to get them to where no other vehicle can go. Watch how their craft fly safely and easily over thin and broken ice:

Drag and hover to see the entire scene ...

Time is critical in ice rescues; shock and hypothermia can occur in minutes, and traditional ice rescue techniques simply take too long. Ordinary ice rescue equipment, such as inflatable walkways, sleds and ropes, can place first responders in as much danger as the people they’re trying to rescue.

Both these problems are solved with a Neoteric rescue hovercraft. It’s easily launched in minutes onto many challenging ice conditions, including thin or broken ice, while other rescue vehicles can operate only on solid ice at least 5 inches thick. And the hovercraft flies 9 inches above the surface. Not only does this improve response time, it keeps rescuers safely above the danger and allows access to areas that can’t be reached by boat, snowmobile, or even helicopter.

When CNN reported on a Neoteric hovercraft's rescue of three deer from a frozen lake, the news anchors summed it up quite accurately: "Hovercraft are kind of a genius idea here ... if you go out there with a snowmobile, you're in trouble - it doesn't hover; it's just a craft ... Boats and jet skis are pretty useless on ice and snowmobiles fall through ice if it won't hold their weight. Hovercraft can fly over any surface, so they save many lives. If you fall through the ice, or get sucked into mud or quicksand, better hope someone locally has a hovercraft handy!"

See more videos of Neoteric hovercraft in action on ice ...

Fire department's Neoteric hovercraft has saved more than 255 people ...

Hovercraft: The essential vehicle for ice rescue operations ...

Video: Neoteric hovercraft practice ice rescue operations ...

Neoteric Hovercraft helps Poland celebrate National Rescuers Day

June 29 is National Rescuers Day in Poland. What perfect timing that WOPR christened and launched their new Neoteric Rescue Hovercraft in Szczecin, Poland right before National Rescuers Day. Their hovercraft was purchased from Neoteric’s dealer in Poland, Tecnotek Polska, and has been named "Lifeguard 200." It is the first rescue hovercraft in Szczecin and in the region.

WOPR is an acronym for Wodne Ochotnicze Pogotowie Ratunkowe, which translates to “water rescue teams and lifeguards” in English. An important nationwide organization that specializes in water rescue operations, WOPR is a member of the International Lifesaving Federation.

As always, any Neoteric Hovercraft is a media magnet, and the WOPR hovercraft is no exception - its launch attracted heavy media coverage. Here’s just one example ...

The gathering of rescuers told the media, “This Neoteric hovercraft is one of the modern rescue vehicles on the Polish market. It rises to 30 cm from the surface and is able to move on both land and water. This machine can save people under the most difficult weather conditions that prevent the use of a helicopter.”

WOPR's Jason Kleczaj said, "Regardless of the weather, our new hovercraft can fly over water, ice, mud, sand, grass or wetlands - allowing us to get to those places you can't reach either by boat or by foot."

Miroslaw Gosieniecki, Vice President of Szczecin WOPR, added, "It will allow us to save people even in winter, when water reservoirs are on ice or floe. Until now, our rescuers did not have equipment that would enable them to act in such circumstances."

A mock rescue was performed at the event in order to exhibit
the exceptional amphibious maneuverability of the Neoteric Rescue Hovercraft.

"This is the first unit of this class in Szczecin," said Mayor Piotr Krzystek. "It will be used not only in summer but mainly in winter, when access to water in traditional ways is impossible, and accidents happen even so."

In closing, he added, "We have to take care of safety on the water, because it is after all, a big part of our city. I wish you well use of your equipment and that your help always arrives in time."

Learn more about Neoteric Rescue Hovercraft ...

Neoteric Hovercraft makes ice rescues safer

The following article about the Branch County Sheriff's Department's Neoteric rescue hovercraft was published in Michigan's Shoreline Magazine ...

Branch County hovercraft can help

make ice rescues safer

by Christy Hart-Harris

Sgt. Rick Holtgrave pilots the Department's Neoteric hovercraft. He and Branch County Sheriff John Pollack agree that the hovercraft is an invaluable tool for ice rescues.

Winter is fast approaching and with the cold temperatures come ice and winter sports. Among the more popular winter sports are ice fishing, ice skating and sledding. Those who have grown up on one of the many lakes in Michiana know how much fun all these winter activities can be.

With vast hills along the lake shores, many kids enjoy sledding down them to the iced-over lake below whiles others prefer to show off their skills with a figure 8 or race their friends on ice skates.

Then there is the most popular winter activity among Michiganders – ice fishing. It is considered by many to be a very relaxing way to spend the day.

Simply walking on the ice can be a unique experience, especially when the snow obscures the view of what lies beneath. Like any activities, safety should be the top priority when on the ice.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources advises those who venture out on the ice this winter to “steer clear of dark spots or places where the snow looks discolored.”

Important rules to follow when on the ice include:

·         Never go alone.

·         Tell someone where you are going and when you expect to return.

·         Always test the ice with a spud.

·         Take the appropriate emergency items, such as a lifejacket and ice picks.

·         Take a cell phone in case you need to call for help.

·         Dress in your warmest winter clothes.

·         Fill a Thermos with hot coffee, chocolate or tea.

Although lake goers may think the danger of drowning is more prevalent during the summer months, drowning is the seventh leading cause of accidental death in the United States, even in the winter.

For this reason, Sgt. Rick Holtgrave of the Branch County Marine Control purchased a hovercraft to assist the Branch County Sheriff’s Department eight-member dive team in rescue missions.

“I purchased this thinking, ‘Okay, we have a tool in the tool box,’” Holtgrave said. “It’s not the only tool, but it is a tool for all of us to utilize in a rescue mission. It’s there if we need it.”

Holtgrave and Branch County Sheriff John Pollack agree that the hovercraft is a vital tool when dealing with iced-over lakes and ice activities in the winter.

The hovercraft has the capability of skimming over thin ice, water, mud and grass. By using this tool, rescuers will be able to save the lives of those who may fall through the ice while preserving the safety of the rescue teams.

With the ability to hold at least 900 pounds, the hovercraft works by pushing air from the engine out of the back of the craft. In return, that air fills each one of the skirts along the base. Maintaining the RPMs and utilizing the reverse thrust keeps the craft operating properly.

“We’re in the process of training,” Pollack said. “We need to train a second operator in case Rick is not available. We need to train officers so they know what to expect from the craft so they know its limitations and what it can do. The fire department is on board with training. They won’t operate it; they just need to know when to call it out and when not to, what it is capable of doing. Rick is the only one currently trained on it.”

The hovercraft is capable of going 60 mph forward and 26 mph backward. Its capability is also critical in residential areas that may become flooded because underwater obstacles such as fences, fallen trees, submerged walls and vehicles cannot affect the craft.

“The biggest thing for us is the ice, particularly thin ice,” Pollack said. “Two problems that we have are human and animal. Whenever we have a rescue on thin ice, our option is to utilize the fire department. They are tethered on a 20-foot rope. Beyond that it’s too far for them to go. It becomes too difficult to rescue the rescuers.”

“All those dangers are what we used to have to face, but now with this hovercraft we can get out there, make the rescue and get right back. It gives the rescuer a secure platform to get the rescue done,” Pollack said. “It will save us on personnel. The fire department will send two or three trucks and it may be a dog that needs to be rescued. Most people are like, oh it’s a dog, no big deal but, if you can imagine if it were your dog, you would want to save it. If we didn’t, when we leave, what are they going to do? They are going to go out on that ice and save it, so it’s best for us to go out and save it so the owner doesn’t.”

Pollack said in the near future they hope to be able to share the hovercraft with surrounding counties.

Learn more about Neoteric Rescue Hovercraft ...

Neoteric Hovercraft Rescues Michigan Ice Fishermen

On a recent Saturday morning, five men walked out on ice-covered Muskegon Lake in Michigan for a little ice fishing. But they faced a real catch! Around noon, they noticed changes in the ice and headed back to shore. Two of them fell through the melting ice. When they called 911, they were told to stay in place until help arrived.

Fortunately, that help arrived in the form of North Muskegon Fire Department’s Neoteric rescue hovercraft and their highly trained first responders, who have been using the hovercraft for ice and water rescues for three decades. 

Even though the U.S. Coast Guard also responded to this emergency, the USCG usually responds to ice rescues with a team of four who go out on the ice on foot – while the North Muskegon Fire Department’s hovercraft safely speeds upwards of 60 mph across solid or broken ice, keeping first responders above the danger, not in it.

Ice fishermen flock to the frozen waters of Muskegon Lake during winter. And yes, the Muskegon first responders advise, it may be time to “consider the ice fishing season over,” and “time to break out the boats” – but a hovercraft is equally critical as a water rescue tool as it is an ice rescue tool.

The North Muskegon Fire Department recognized that early on, and became a pioneer in using hovercraft for ice and water rescue operations. “Our hovercraft have saved more lives than all our fire engines combined. Since 1985, more than 255 people have been rescued from Muskegon area lakes using the hovercraft. More than half of them would have drowned not having the hovercraft as a safe rescue tool,” says Fire Chief Steve Lague.

Watch the full news report of the Muskegon Lake rescue ...

Fire Departments: See how a hovercraft can dramatically improve

your ice, water, mud and flood rescue operations:

Take a Test Flight or a Training Course on a Neoteric hovercraft -

and learn why Neoteric Rescue Hovercraft are the industry standard ...

VIDEO: Moncton’s Neoteric Hovercraft Prepares to Rescue Snowmobilers

The spring melt is well underway in many parts of the world, and those areas where first responders have a Neoteric hovercraft available for ice rescues are exceptionally well-prepared. Those that don’t? Well, you might want to watch this video about the Moncton Fire Department in Canada …

Moncton’s first responders are not only equipped with the most effective ice, mud and water rescue vehicle available, they’ve thoroughly trained to use it. When they purchased their craft in 2012, Neoteric President Chris Fitzgerald, who is Hovercraft Training Centers’ Senior Flight Instructor, traveled to Canada with HTC Flight Instructor Steve Stafford to conduct intensive pilot training on Moncton’s new 6-passenger rescue hovercraft.

Moncton’s training was interesting – it included having the hovercraft run over a firefighter! Canada’s Global News reported, “Moncton Fire Department Captain Steve Crawford said it was a “strange sensation” to have the department’s new hovercraft run him over in the city’s McLaughlin Road reservoir yesterday. Crawford played the victim in a demonstration of its latest piece of high-tech emergency equipment. Wearing a helmet and life jacket, he was dropped into the water, and then the hovercraft, piloted by Neoteric Hovercraft, Inc. founder Chris Fitzgerald, flew out to rescue him. To demonstrate just how safe the craft is, Fitzgerald literally drove over Crawford before the sopping wet firefighter was scooped out of the water.”

“You know it’s not going to hurt you, but it’s a strange sensation to have any sort of craft fly over you,” Crawford said.

During training, Fire Chief Eric Arsenault said the hovercraft is a “great addition to our toolbox,” adding it is quicker to deploy than a boat. The hovercraft can be taken from its trailer and be in the water in minutes.

Hundreds of people die in ice-related accidents each year in the United States alone, but many fire departments and rescue organizations haven’t yet recognized the importance of hovercraft as an ice, mud and water rescue tool. “You need fire departments like Moncton that are prepared to be first adopters,” Fitzgerald said. “They’re really pioneers.”

How can your department determine if a hovercraft would improve you first responders’ rescue capabilities? An easy, low-cost way is to take a hovercraft Test Flight or Flight Training Course.

Read how first responders use their Neoteric rescue hovercraft ...

VIDEO: Neoteric Hovercraft rescues 10 deer from icy ocean

On Sunday, first responders from the Onset Fire Department used their Neoteric Workhorse hovercraft to rescue 10 deer that had fallen through the ice at Long Beach Point in Wareham, Massachusetts ...

Video by David G. Curran, Satellite News Service

This rescue illustrates the longevity of Neoteric hovercraft. Neoteric President Chris Fitzgerald explains, “This is a hovercraft we built in 1990, still in service and still performing successful rescues. And when salt water freezes, it’s darn cold!”

Wareham officials said this type of rescue operation “is risky for emergency personnel, especially on unstable frozen saltwater.” And, statistically, the most frequent victims in ice rescue operations are animals, children, ice fishermen, skaters, snowmobilers – and first responders.

This is why hovercraft are an essential vehicle for ice rescues. A hovercraft is the only vehicle that can fly easily over thin or broken ice; other ice rescue equipment requires solid ice at least 5 inches thick. But a hovercraft flies 9 inches above the surface, keeping first responders above the danger, not in it.

This is not the first time a Neoteric hovercraft has come to the aid of the deer population. Last year a Neoteric HoverTrek™ rescued three exhausted deer stranded for days on the ice of Albert Lea Lake in Minnesota. Watch the video ...

Read more from first responders about their Neoteric hovercraft rescue operations ...

VIDEO: Hovercraft ride on an icy river

From ice fishing to ice rescues to winter recreation, the Neoteric hovercraft is a one-of-a-kind ice vehicle. Ride along with Neoteric president Chris Fitzgerald on the icy Wabash River and see why ice is no obstacle for a HoverTrek™ ...

Watch more videos of hovercraft on ice ...

Hovercraft: The essential vehicle for ice rescue operations

Video: Neoteric hovercraft practice ice rescue operations

Fire department's Neoteric hovercraft has saved more than 255 people

Neoteric hovercraft rescues three helpless deer stranded on ice

Fire department's Neoteric hovercraft has saved more than 255 people

The North Muskegon Fire Department in Michigan, which has utilized Neoteric rescue hovercraft for three decades, hosted an inaugural statewide Ice Rescue Conference and Education Day Saturday, attended by numerous fire and rescue departments and the U.S. Coast Guard.

North Muskegon’s newer Neoteric HoverTrek™ was used for ice rescue demonstrations at the event, and their original craft from 1985 was on display. A historical photo display of hovercraft ice rescues over the years was also part of the event.

“The North Muskegon Fire Department was a pioneer in using hovercraft for ice rescue operations,” stated training officer Jeff Hedges. Fire Chief Steve Lague added, “Our hovercraft have saved more lives than all our fire engines combined. Since 1985, more than 255 people have been rescued from Muskegon area lakes using the hovercraft. More than half of them would have drowned not having the hovercraft as a safe rescue tool.” In 2005, North Muskegon’s original Neoteric hovercraft held the world record for ice rescues.

The numerous media covering the Conference emphasized the importance of speed in ice rescues. As one reporter stated, “In just a few short minutes after falling through the ice, a victim can start to lose mobility or even consciousness. In a battle between life and death, time is of the essence.”

The U.S. Coast Guard usually responds to ice rescues with a team of four who go out on the ice on foot – while crews from the North Muskegon Fire Department’s hovercraft can safely speed upwards of 60 miles per hour across frozen or partially frozen lakes.

But you have to know what you’re doing – and that’s why professional flight training is especially important for first responders. As hovercraft pilot David Ogren says in this news video about the Conference, “Because you’re floating on a cushion of air and even though you do have a lot of control, you could very easily lose that control and have issues” …

As North Muskegon Fire Chief Steve Lague says, “Ice rescues are inherently dangerous. They’re a high risk, low probability situation where we can get into trouble very quickly.”

The Neoteric Rescue HoverTrek™, with its patented reverse thrust system, is recognized worldwide as the industry standard for rescue hovercraft because it greatly reduces that risk by keeping first responders and victims above the danger - not in it. 

Read comments from first responders using Neoteric rescue hovercraft …

DRONE VIDEO: Hovercraft Ice Rescue

You’ve seen the news video of last weekend’s ice rescue practice session with the Perry Clear Creek, White River and Hazleton Fire Department and their Neoteric rescue hovercraft.

Now check out this eye-in-the-sky view: excellent drone footage of the event on Calmuck Lake in Monroe City, Indiana, filmed by Rodney Helderman. It illustrates how well the Neoteric Rescue HoverTrek™ performs on thin and broken ice – quickly and safely accessing victims where no other vehicle can go …

First Responders: Learn more about scenarios for rescue hovercraft …

VIDEO: Neoteric hovercraft practice ice rescue operations

Yesterday Filip Przybysz, Neoteric’s Vice President of Marketing, fell through the ice on a frozen lake – on purpose!

Filip took on the role of victim during an ice rescue practice Saturday for the Perry Clear Creek, White River and Hazleton Fire Departments and their Neoteric rescue hovercraft. The practice was organized and conducted by HTC Flight Instructor, Steve Stafford, who is also Neoteric's Law Enforcement Liaison and is the founder of Project H.E.R.O. (Hovercraft Emergency Response Operations).

Appreciation also goes to property owner David Vanderbeck, to Dan Bush, who provided the 4-wheeler, and to Rodney Helderman who filmed drone footage of the exercises. 

Watch the news video below and see one of the many ways Neoteric and Hovercraft Training Centers serve customers long after the sale (and check back in soon to see the drone video) ...

TRANSCRIPT:

When the winter months roll around, we all know being out on the water or ice can be very dangerous, even deadly, in fact and public safety officials were out on the water today practicing for an ice rescue. Reporter Lauren Minor joined them to see what happens during one of these emergencies …

“The moment you actually fall in, you get in such a temperature shock,” says Director of Marketing and Sales at Neoteric Hovercraft, Inc., Filip Przybysz.

It can happen in a matter of seconds. You’re walking along and the ice breaks.

Filip Przybysz played the victim in Saturday’s demonstration of an ice rescue. Even though it was all for practice, he got to experience what it is like when falling into cold water: “As soon as you get out, I think your body heats up so fast, that’s when I was laying on the stretcher, I was shaking a little bit, but then I was told I was actually feeling warm.”

Rescuers say the most important thing is to keep moving so your body doesn’t stiffen up.

“I was actually okay, and the rescuers told me it was actually a fake perception because you wouldn’t go into hypothermia without knowing that,” said Przybysz

If you’re ever out on the ice, ice picks are a good thing to keep with you; that way if you do fall in, you can use the picks to pull yourself out.

"I equate it to like shooting a basketball, if you only shoot ten shots a month that's all the better you will ever be. So you have to practice with it to become proficient with it," says Fire Chief Mike Ellis of the White River Hazleton Fire Department.

Hovercraft can play a key role in ice rescue safety: they can get onto the ice and to the victim quickly and safely.

"The adrenaline kicks in and so does the training, and you do what you have been training to do all along," says Steve Stafford from Project H.E.R.O.

Steve Stafford also assisted with the rescue. [As a flight instructor with Hovercraft Training Centers] he travels all over to train with departments who have ice rescuers. "We have been asked to go to Kentucky, Ohio, to assist and basically if we get a hurricane or a request we will do our best to respond there also."

Ice rescuing may not happen too often in southern Indiana, but when it does, they have to be ready.

The hovercraft that were used by the Perry Clear Creek and the White River Township and Hazleton Fire Unit today, were actually created right here in Terre Haute at Neoteric Hovercraft, Inc.

First responders: Could a hovercraft help you save lives?

Read more about rescue hovercraft ...

And see for yourself with a Test Flight or Training Course

Hovercraft: The Essential Vehicle for Ice Rescue Operations

"Walking in a Winter Wonderland" is a popular song right now. But that walk - or ride - can quickly turn into a nightmare when you're on thin ice. Statistics show that the most frequent victims in ice rescue operations are animals, children, ice fisherman, skaters, snowmobilers - and first responders. 

In ice rescues, time is of the essence; hypothermia and shock can occur in minutes, immobilizing victims and rescuers alike, and traditional ice rescue techniques simply take too long. Much of the usual ice rescue equipment - inflatable walkways, sleds and ropes - can put first responders in as much danger as the victims they're trying to rescue.

But hovercraft fly above the surface, keeping first responders above the danger and greatly speeding up the rescue process. A hovercraft is the only vehicle that can fly easily over thin or broken ice; other rescue vehicles require solid ice at least 5 inches thick. And the Neoteric HoverTrek™, with its patented reverse thrust system, is the most versatile hovercraft available for ice rescue operations.

Another way hovercraft speed up rescue operations is that victims don't have to be disembarked at the water's edge. As a multi-terrain vehicle, a hovercraft can take victims from water, across land or mud, and directly to a waiting ambulance.

The Wilkes-Barre Fire Department's Neoteric HoverTrek™ soars over broken ice on the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania. The hovercraft's 9-inch deep air cushion and reverse thrust enables it to safely maneuver over jagged, broken, snow-covered ice floes.

See for yourself how the HoverTrek™ operates on ice - take a ride with Neoteric customer Dirk Lohry as he flies over thin, cracked ice on McCook Lake in South Dakota ...



When CNN reported earlier this year on a Neoteric hovercraft's rescue of three deer from a frozen lake, the news anchors summed it up quite accurately: "Hovercraft are kind of a genius idea here ... if you go out there with a snowmobile, you're in trouble - it doesn't hover; it's just a craft ... Boats and jet skis are pretty useless on ice and snowmobiles fall through ice if it won't hold their weight. Hovercraft can fly over any surface, so they save many lives. If you fall through the ice, or get sucked into mud or quicksand, better hope someone locally has a hovercraft handy!"

First responders: Is a Neoteric hovercraft right for you?

Find out with a Test Flight or Training Course

Dan Brown: “The reverse thrust buckets - no other hovercraft can do that!”

Dan Brown, an optometrist from Olney, IL, isn’t new to hovercraft. He owned the Hovertechnics craft below for 15 years, but hardly used it. “I’d had no training … and I wasn’t that confident in it. I probably flew it only 5 hours or so over the years.” 

And Dan knows his vehicles. He has a Sea-Doo, canoes, a ski boat, and a 20-foot hunting boat. He laughs, “I’ve got 6 car titles, 6 or 7 boat titles – titles everywhere!” But all these vehicles wouldn’t take him everywhere he wants to go. “I wanted something new to play with … something that will let me get out where no one else can,” he says. That’s why he arranged to trade in his Hovertechnics craft for a new custom-color Neoteric HoverTrek:

Dan explains why he chose a Neoteric craft: “I got on the Internet and read about your reverse thrust buckets – and that’s the ticket right there. That’s what sold me. No other hovercraft can do that!”

And because he intends for his Neoteric craft to be his new hobby, he also arranged to make sure he knows how to use it – on the day he picked it up, he went through a training course at Hovercraft Training Centers. Watch his flight training launch last Sunday in his new hovercraft …

This was Dan’s first flight in a Neoteric craft; afterward he said, “Compared to my old one, the difference was like night and day! The reverse thrust is definitely a big difference. And this is just a much lighter craft; it doesn’t take as much revving up the engine to get over the hump.”

And he really appreciated his training. “I’m glad I trained; I learned a lot. Even if you owned a hovercraft before, you didn’t have one like this. Great day!”  Dan further emphasized the importance of training with a story about the Hovertechnics craft’s previous owner: “With no training, he just jumped in the darn thing and took off … and got thrown out of it! It scared the you-know-what out of him so he got rid of it.”

With his new hovercraft and wearing a satisfied smile, Dan (right) accepts his pilot certification from HTC Senior Instructor/Neoteric President Chris Fitzgerald.

Dan, a waterfowl hunter, plans to use his hovercraft mainly in winter. “I live on East Fork Lake and when it’s frozen over I have trouble getting to places, to my duck blinds. And winter is when I have the lake to myself. In summer, there are boats everywhere, bass tournaments all the time, water skiers, Sea-Doos – it’s just crazy. When it gets cold, I’ll have the lake to myself. That’s the main thing – I want to be able to get out there when no one else can.”

His Neoteric hovercraft will enable him to do just that. And it will let him perform rescues, something else with which he’s no stranger. In 2010 Dan used his Hovertechnics craft for the first time in 6 years to rescue his neighbors’ border collies after they fell through the ice on East Fork Lake. “The Olney Fire Department and nearly 300 people had gathered to save the dogs, which were like children to their owners,” he relates. “The owner was out on a ladder, trying to grab the dogs with extension cords tied together while the firemen were telling him to get out of the icy water. Another person trying to help also fell through the ice. The dogs were just hanging there; they had the look of death in their eyes.”

But Dan gave the story a happy ending. “The owner and I flew the hovercraft right up to them, he grabbed them out of the water and I hovered right back into his year where he carried them into his house and started thawing them out in a hot bath.”

The rescued dogs, Jenny and Tipper, were lucky to live next door to a hovercraft owner.

After the rescue, the Olney Fire Department made sure to get Dan’s phone number “so if we need you we can call you.”  Those calls may start coming in once they learn that Dan now owns a Neoteric hovercraft, well-known for rescue operations and used by first responders throughout the world.

Interested in a great deal on Dan’s former Hovertechnics hovercraft?

Go to our Trade-In Showroom ...

First responders rely on hovercraft for ice rescues

Ice rescue missions may be at an all-time high this winter. It’s been so cold for so long that the Great Lakes, which hold nearly one-fifth of the surface fresh water in the world, are almost completely covered with ice for the first time in two decades. In spite of the cold, these conditions bring out skaters, snowmobilers and ice fishermen - who regularly fall through thin ice.

Time is of the essence in ice rescues; shock and hypothermia can occur in minutes … and traditional ice rescue techniques simply take too long. And much of the traditional ice rescue equipment, such as inflatable walkways, sleds and ropes, can place first responders in as much danger as the people they’re trying to rescue.

But hovercraft, since they fly nine inches above the surface, keep first responders above the danger. Hovercraft are the only vehicle that can speed easily over thin or broken ice; other rescue vehicles can only be launched on solid ice at least 5 inches thick. And the Neoteric HoverTrek, with its patented reverse thrust that lets it brake and back up, is the most versatile hovercraft available for ice rescue operations.

Neoteric and Hovercraft Training Centers regularly train first responders throughout the world to conduct safe and successful ice rescues. Here are a few photos of a recent ice rescue practice on Lake Monroe, the largest lake in Indiana. With below-freezing temperatures and a lake covered with snow and ice of inconsistent thickness, these were perfect conditions for ice rescue training …

Three Neoteric hovercraft, left to right: Hovercraft Training Centers’ hovercraft, the Hazleton Fire Department’s rescue hovercraft, and flight instructor Steve Stafford’s personal hovercraft are ready to launch on Lake Monroe. 

The lake ice varied from solid to thin and broken – surface conditions that prohibit the use of any other vehicle. 

During the day, the three hovercraft cruised the entire length of the largest lake in Indiana, regardless of ice conditions.

Jeff Splittorf of the Hazleton Fire Department stands aboard the department’s 6-passenger Neoteric rescue hovercraft.

Steve Stafford’s hovercraft with a cabin offered him some protection from the brutal weather. 

The Hazleton Fire Department’s Neoteric hovercraft flies easily across the snow and ice.

Rachel Hyneman of the Hazleton Fire Department felt that braving the cold weather was worth it, making the department even more prepared for successful ice rescues with a professionally trained crew and the most maneuverable hovercraft available.

Would a hovercraft improve your department's rescue capabilities?

Find out with a Test Flight or Training Course

For ice rescues, “The Neoteric hovercraft – and training - are essential.”

How can a rescue agency determine if a hovercraft would improve their first responders’ rescue capabilities – especially in ice rescues? An excellent way is to take a hovercraft flight training course. That’s exactly what the University of Wisconsin Lifesaving Station decided to do.

The UW Lifesaving Station provides rescue services for more than 40,000 students and the citizens of Madison who frequent the nearby 4-by-5-mile Lake Mendota. But as Supervisor Chris Kleppe explained, “We have no ice rescue capabilities at the Lifesaving Station – none whatsoever. We need to have some way to get out there to someone who might be in trouble – especially the ice fishermen because they have to travel across unsafe ice to get to the safe ice to fish. ATVs won’t do that. Once we saw a fisherman out on a hovercraft - okay, the light went on.”

Sean Geib, Assistant Supervisor, added, “We’ve learned there’s no such thing as common water sense. You’d be surprised how many people will walk out onto unsafe ice. There’s no worse feeling than watching somebody fall through the ice and being unable to do anything to help them.” He continued, “We came across the Neoteric website and it seemed like you had the complete package – reverse thrusters, length of time in the industry, etc., so we decided to pursue this.”

But to let them make sure a hovercraft will suit their needs, Neoteric President Chris Fitzgerald, also Senior Instructor at Hovercraft Training Centers, urged Sean and Chris to undergo pilot training on a Neoteric hovercraft before they placed their order. They agreed: “We know from just operating our rescue boats that the more training you have, the better you’re equipped to help someone out in emergency situations where your adrenaline is running high. We both also understood that a hovercraft is not a boat; this is something completely outside our realm of knowledge, so we decided it would be both advantageous and fun to get the training.”

Their training took place at HTC headquarters in Indiana on a freezing January day – showing them hands-on how well a hovercraft operates on ice. Below, view photos of their flight training, then read what they had to say about their training …

Neoteric President/Senior HTC instructor Chris Fitzgerald (right) shows Sean the easy operation of Neoteric’s specially designed hovercraft trailers, which permit lightning-fast loading and unloading by only one person
in demanding rescue operations - where time is critical.

Chris Kleppe (left) and Sean Geib (right) receive thorough preflight instructions before their first flight training session.

Both trainees and the instructor wear wireless headsets so the trainees receive constant feedback and instruction throughout their flight sessions.

At the controls, Chris Kleppe experiences why a hovercraft is the only vehicle able to safely perform rescues
on thin or broken ice – and prevents first responders from having to enter icy water.

Chris Kleppe learns how to operate the HoverTrek’s reverse thrust system, which makes it
the only hovercraft with the ability to brake, hover in place, and back up at more than 25 mph. 

The HoverTrek’s unusual buoyancy is demonstrated. This buoyancy gives all Neoteric hovercraft  incomparable stability, enabling passengers to move around with danger of the craft tipping – extremely important in rescue operations.

Sean (left) and Chris (right) receive their Hovercraft Pilot & Maintenance Certifications from  Chris Fitzgerald (center).

After their training, we received the following email from Chris Kleppe describing their experience:

“We both felt the training was very important. Floating on air is the best way to describe how it felt to me. Certainly the feeling was completely different than any other vehicles that I have piloted. Most surprising was the need to think way ahead of any maneuver that was made. Without the training, I could foresee a future disaster by way of a crash. To anyone trying to pilot the craft with no training I would say, ‘DO NOT DO IT.’ Plain and simple.

The hovercraft would be a useful tool for the Lifesaving Station during the freeze up and thaw out of the lake when the risk of someone going through the unsafe ice is very high. To perform winter lake safety work on Lake Mendota, I feel the Neoteric hovercraft would be essential.”

Learn more about the capabilities of Neoteric Rescue Hovercraft …

Learn more about the UW Lifesaving Station ...