Hirth Engines – the leading global manufacturer and champion of 2-stroke engines – has been recognised as a key driving force in hovercraft-based rescue operations proved through live demonstrations held in the US.

Three Neoteric rescue hovercraft were featured in a major Indiana Department of Homeland Security flood rescue exercise, attended by the Directors of numerous Emergency Management Agencies from across the US.

The exercise provided the Neoteric team with the opportunity to showcase the manoeuvrability of the hovercraft and ability to perform water and flood rescues.

According to Neoteric Hovercraft president Chris Fitzgerald:

“This important event provided us with the perfect opportunity to demonstrate how the craft can safely and successfully complete these rescues in a quarter of the time it would take with boats!”

The enhanced power provided by Hirth’s Model 2703 Hirth 521 based on an aluminium block further demonstrated the advantages of the 2-stroke power-to-weight ratio, allowing optimised speed.

The event took place at the Muscatatuck Urban Training Complex in southern Indiana, the Department of Defense’s largest urban training facility.

Neoteric Vice President Steve Stafford arranged for the hovercraft to perform in the exercise. Stafford is also a Captain with the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department and the founder of Project H.E.R.O. (Hovercraft Emergency Response Operations), a non-profit organization that uses Neoteric hovercraft to assist rescue and law enforcement agencies in search and rescue missions.

Fire Chief Mark Ellis came to the exercise already impressed with the performance of his department’s Neoteric hovercraft. As he says, “Our hovercraft can go right over a log, rocky shallow waters, sand, mud, you name it.”

Other participants included Neoteric President Chris Fitzgerald with a Neoteric flight training hovercraft and first responders from the White River Hazleton Fire Department with their Neoteric rescue hovercraft.

Peter Lietz, Head of International sales and Service for Hirth Engines added:

“This important national best practice flood rescue exercise proved Hirth Engines’ power and reliability and underlines the suitability of Hirth 2-stroke innovative propulsion systems in the most demanding of vehicles and environments.”

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