Rescue Drone Saves Two Teen Swimmers on First Day of Operation
Just hours into its first day of operation, Lennox Head, New South Wales' investment into a new technology has already helped save two lives. Lifeguards were able to rescue two teenagers with the help of a rescue drone during its very first mission, on its first day of deployment.
According to reports the drone deployed a flotation device to the two teenage swimmers stranded about 2,300 feet offshore, in about 70 seconds, it would've taken a person about 6 minutes to reach them.
The company Little Ripper Life Saver developed the rescue drone, and the lifeguards had just started training with it Thursday morning when a member of the public alerted them that two teens were struggling in a swell of around three meters (9.8 feet).
Ballina lifeguard supervisor Jai Sheridan piloted the drone to the swimmers and released a flotation device, which inflated once it reached the water. The swimmers, ages 15 and 17, were then able to cling to the device as they swam back to shore.
We may want to look into getting a couple of these, just in case it ever snows again here in East Texas.