Hello, I'm Darren Vancell, owner and creator of CreatureCraft Rescue Crafts and I'm here
to talk to you about an ever-present danger in our communities, low-head dams.
The low-head dam is the least expensive and therefore the most common dam in the world.
There are literally thousands of them scattered throughout this country.
Since many of them look fairly innocuous, many people voluntarily get into them.
A low-head dam is called a drowning machine.
Drivers are able to survive for relatively long periods of time, sometimes in excess
of an hour while in the dam.
Only watercraft in the world that is capable of entering and exiting safely in a low-head
dam.
It provides a safe platform that minimizes the risk to rescue personnel while greatly
increasing the odds of rescuing a live victim.
I have been building and designing the CreatureCraft for over 14 years.
These boats were originally designed to safely run extreme white water.
In 2007, I was approached by a rescue professional who inquired about the ability of these boats
to perform low-head dam rescues.
At that point, we began changing the designs a bit to suit that need and now we have a
boat that is the only safe boat in a low-head dam.
The CreatureCraft rescue system involves two rescue personnel.
One the actual rescuer in the front of the boat and the other the driver is mounted in
the middle of the boat.
One of the most important features of a CreatureCraft rescue craft is one that it is an extremely
stable platform, very difficult to ever turn on its side.
However, if it does turn on its side, it is a very simple process for turning it right
side up and can be taught in a matter of a few hours.
It is a simple method of weight transfer with both the rescuer and the driver working together.
Another advantage of the CreatureCraft rescue system is that the boat can be launched from
above the dam and run over the dam and then perform a rescue.
It can be also launched from below the dam.
There we go.
We just made our way up.
Oh, nice one, nice, it's so fast you can do it on that.
That's like flying.
Oh, nice one.
Oh, nice one.
Oh, nice one.
Oh, nice one.
We're looking to catch waves as we go.
Oh, nice one.
Oh, nice one.
Oh, nice one.
That makes for a beautiful rescue.
That's okay, that rescuer in the front is tethered in.
Oh, nice one.
Oh, nice one.
Oh, nice one.
Oh, nice one.
Oh, nice one.
Oh, nice one.
Oh, nice one.
Oh, nice one.
Oh, nice one.
Oh, nice one.
Oh, nice one.
Oh, nice one.
