The US Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate is collaborating with the US Coast Guard aiming to develop a large capacity-floating device to keep survivors out of the water during mass rescue operations.
The service is looking for an effective solution to provide short-term lifesaving and rescue assistance in disasters that render existing systems, such as onboard lifeboats inoperable or infeasible. A such, through the joint, recently released “Mass Rescue Operations Lifesaving Device Broad Agency Announcement” solicitation, the partners have invited innovators, industry, academia, and laboratories to submit their innovative technology solutions to respond to mass-casualty events at sea, up to 5 August.
If successful, the mass life-saving device will give first responders additional capability and capacity to respond quickly to a mass rescue situation,
…explained Capt. Dan Keane, Commanding Officer of USCG Research and Development Center, which will provide technical support to the development of the device.
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As explained, the Coast Guard wants to develop a non-standard, one-time use, large capacity, an ultra-lightweight floating device that will be deployed from air or vessel during a mass rescue operation to mitigate the loss of life. For example, if a large ferryboat or cruise ship is unexpectedly stranded or sinking, the ship’s staff may not be able to deploy the lifeboats. Coast Guard aircraft or vessels could respond and deploy mass rescue devices at the scene to better maintain passengers until all can be rescued.
The purpose of a large-capacity floating device is to solely keep survivors out of the water during a mass rescue operation. The commercial marketplace already has large, flotation devices, but these are too heavy to be deployed from a US Coast Guard helicopter or easily lifted over a vessel’s bulwark for deployment,
…said S&T Program Manager Angela Blair.
