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Increased flooding seems to be a normal occurrence rather than the exception these days. How is your community set to respond when it happens? Flooding creates a whole host of problems that require the right tools for the situation. Traditional "rescue" boats seem to be the quickest solution, but are they right for the job? Here's some reasons why they're not:
Boats' hulls are in the water making them susceptible to currents, debris and underwater objects. Flood waters are very unpredictable in that they can range from fast moving currents to still pools, high to low levels, cover over areas that were meant to be dry and carry any number of debris both on and under the water's surface. Since the hovercraft rides on a cushion of air, they are suspended above the current; making it less possible for them to become affected by the speed or direction of the water. Flood waters often carry both floating and non-floating debris. If you contact either type of debris in a boat, damage to the hull and engine are the likely results; when this happens, rescuers often need to be rescued. A hovercraft never has to worry about underwater debris. Flying on at least an 8 inch cushion of air, the hovercraft passes over these objects without incident. Floating debris causes no problems for the hovercraft as long as it doesn't exceed the craft's hover height. Water levels during flooding are never constant. Flood waters are raising or dropping all of the time; making it impossible to know how much clearance a boat's hull or engine will have in any particular area. Not having the knowledge of the water's depth creates a dangerous situation for the boat and its occupants. Low water depth can result in a boat motor's prop striking the bottom or an impeller ingesting debris; in either case, engine or transmission failure is almost guaranteed. Water levels are irrelevant when operating a hovercraft. Since hovercraft are totally amphibious, they travel freely over land and water; there's nothing in the water to worry about. The greatest danger to rescuers in a flooded area is what's under the surface of the water. Flood waters conceal any number of objects from sight; some examples include: fencing, electrical boxes, fire hydrants, sign posts, vehicles etc. When you're in a boat, its hull, engine's prop or impeller is in the water and will eventually come into contact with an object. This not only puts the equipment at risk, but also its occupants. Again, this is not a factor with the hovercraft. Traveling above the surface is the safest place to be in a flooded area. There is great risk to human life when using the wrong tools for the job, there's also great financial risk for a rescue company. It gets played out time after time, from flood scenario to flood scenario, several boats and/or their engines are lost. This costs taxpayers as well as private agencies thousands of dollars each year. It's unnecessary to say the least, especially when these losses can be avoided by operating a hovercraft in flood situations.
A hovercraft can be deployed faster than a boat or helicopter. Although a helicopter makes for a dramatic rescue and looks great on CNN, it also creates danger for both the rescuers and the ones being rescued; not to mention that most helicopters cost at least $2,000 an hour to operate. In comparison, a hovercraft will cost the same or less than a boat to operate. Getting to the scene quickly is important, but what about when you get there? It's equally important to be able to deploy quickly. The hovercraft will fly off of its trailer in seconds; without the need for a boat ramp or a lot of people to assist. Unload it on dry land, fly to the victim in the water, return to dry land without getting wet; keeping its operator and occupants out of the sometimes toxic soup that floods create.
Floods are only one example of the rescue scenarios that hovercraft can safely handle. Thin ice, muddy fields or just about any place a wheeled vehicle or boat shouldn't go is where the hovercraft excels. Contact us today and let us show you how easy it is for your department to start enjoying the benefits that come from owning a hovercraft. |
