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 ...
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