In 2015,
Iowa’s Council Bluffs Fire Department purchased a new 6-passenger Neoteric
rescue hovercraft. Immediately their first responders completed a Flight
Training Course at Hovercraft Training Centers, which included flood rescue
techniques on the Wabash River, then at 22.8 ft. flood stage.
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The steep
Wabash River boat ramp is submerged in water all the way to the parking lot
as Council
Bluffs’ first responders begin their training.
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After
their pilot training, Fire Chief Justin James reported, “It was awesome being able to operate in deep and shallow flood water
without having to worry about destroying a motor or a boat. We also got to train rescuing victims that
may be stranded in trees or roofs of homes due to rising waters. We simply used
the craft to hover into and hold position near these real obstacles.”
In less
than a month, their training started paying off, with the rescue of a man from
a muddy flooded river, with more than 60 feet of deep mud and 20 feet of
shallow water to cross before reaching him. Chief James said, “The amount of time it took us to get out
there would have been drastically longer if we didn’t have the hovercraft.”
And two
years later, Council Bluffs’ flight training and rescue hovercraft are still
proving their worth. Last weekend the department rescued a fisherman who had
fallen through the ice and was submerged in frigid water while clinging to the
ice shelf. Capt. Jim Maaske said their hovercraft let the rescuers find the man
quickly and hover directly to him without putting themselves at risk … and
added, “All the training paid off today.”
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Council
Bluffs Fire Dept. takes a quick test flight after a successful ice rescue Feb.
11 on Lake Manawa.
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First Responders:
See Hovercraft Training Centers &
Neoteric Hovercraft at FDIC 2017, Booth 2704
and
Register to win one of three FREE Hovercraft Flight Training Courses
(Valued at $1,575 each)
