On April 26, 2020, 50 militia cadres from the Emergency Response Team received smart water rescue equipment training at Hueng Shan Marine Technology Port in Zhuhai, China.
The training was based on two products, the Dolphin1 remote control lifebuoy, and the water rescue stretcher bed, both developed and produced by OceanAlpha, a leading unmanned surface vehicle company.
A technician demonstrated the straight-forward operation of Dolphin 1: after the buoy is dropped into the water, user can activate it with the remote control. Hold the remote control in one hand and by pushing or pulling the throttle with your index finger, you can make the buoy sail forward or backward. Twisting the wheel forward and backward with the other hand can make the buoy turn left or right.
After the demonstration, the officers took turns to practice and it only took them minutes to command all the tricks. The technician also shared some tips. “The Dolphin 1’s normal minimum control distance is 1,650 feet, but actually, it can go up to 2600 feet in range. [However] beyond 1,000 feet in high surf you won’t be able to see the lights.”
In high waves, the higher the remote user can be, the more effective the rescue. In the turbulent water flow, instead of moving straight forward, choosing the path according to the water movement can make the lifebuoy reach its destination faster.
With strong water-jet propulsion, Dolphin 1 can not only reach and bring back a person quickly but also carry a rescuer to the drowning site swiftly to save unconscious personnel. Due to its PE hull material and flat hull shape, Dolphin 1 can provide enough buoyancy for two adults to float on the water surface and wait for the boat to pick them up.
As a coastal city, the urban area of Zhuhai has about 50 kilometers of seaside sidewalks and sandy beaches where citizens and tourists are carrying out recreation activities throughout the year. The municipal government has invested a lot of manpower and resources to secure the seashore safety. Rescue tasks are even more arduous in the summer when typhoons strike. The government has purchased 3 sets of dolphin 1 and 3 sets of smart stretcher beds to improve rescuing efficiency.