News
Explore the latest news and press releases on AquaEye and VodaSafe
Beneath the Surface: A Glimpse into Portage County Water Rescue Training
So, the Portage County Water Rescue Team heroes have had a busy Autumn. They have graciously invited this reporter to attend some of their training. Originally, I was going to observe Boat Rescue Training to be held at West Branch, but that was canceled due to the possibility of storms. No worries, they have plenty more to attend! This is how I found myself observing as they trained in use of the AquaEye and Dive Rescue.
AquaEye is a new piece of equipment for the team. Matt Bright led the team as they learned about this hand-held sonar scanner. It uses sonar technology and artificial intelligence to identify possible human bodies underwater and in water with limited visibility.
Diver Missing Off Digby Recovered Thanks to Fire Dept’s AquaEye
Vancouver B.C – November 21, 2024 – Deployment of an AquaEye handheld intelligent sonar, purchased by the Brooklyn Volunteer Fire Dept. has resulted in the recovery of a diver missing in the Bay of Fundy off Digby, Nova Scotia.
Halifax’s Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) initiated the search after being contacted when a recreational diver failed to surface. RCMP, Coast Guard and multiple local Volunteer Fire departments were on scene within hours. One of those was the Brooklyn Volunteer Fire Department, (led on-scene by First Deputy Chief, Bill Hazel).
A team of Brooklyn Volunteer Firefighters, led by DC Hazel, took to the water around midnight the day the diver went missing. While many resources were searching for the missing diver that first night, only Brooklyn VFD were equipped with an AquaEye which proved to be the technology that located the missing diver.
VodaSafe Revolutionizes Underwater Recovery with AI-driven Handheld Sonar
Canadian Company VodaSafe is changing underwater search & rescue operations around the world with AquaEye, a world-first handheld sonar device that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to locate human targets underwater.
Using AquaEye, teams can search 8,000sq.m of underwater terrain in less than one minute, reducing search times by up to 90% and significantly decreasing risks to recovery divers. AquaEye uses AI to detect likely human targets by sending out sonar waves and then measuring the size, shape and density of objects detected. Recovery divers can then quickly investigate possible targets and locate a missing person without having to search large areas manually, which is slow and complicated in many situations…
AquaEye Testimonial: “We have to give the person the best chance at living.”
Ocean City, MD – Ocean City Fire Department Battalion Chief David Peterson:
“I was definitely skeptical at first, but Copper Collar came out to do a demo and within the first five minutes I thought ‘this is amazing, let’s buy one.’ We’ve shown it to lots of our boat operators and rescue swimmers, everyone was really impressed.
We use it both on the open ocean side, and the calm side of our island. AquaEye is very beneficial for searching the surf, scanning back towards shore.
AquaEye absolutely increases team safety. We can search a huge area instead of…”
LIFESAVING TECH: NFM Fire District dive team receives sonar donation
NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla — North Fort Myers Elk Lodge donation equips team with faster, life-saving rescue technology.
Making waves in rescue capabilities, North Fort Myers Fire and Rescue’s dive team is now equipped with a cutting-edge sonar camera.
As Fox 4’s North Fort Myers Community Correspondent, I work in this area daily, so I got a chance to see how important this technology is to the community’s safety…
Meet Carlyn Loncaric, Founder & CEO of VodaSafe, Whose Groundbreaking Tech is Saving Lives in Open Water Searches
With over 10 years of experience as a lifeguard, combined with her background in engineering, Carlyn Loncaric knew there had to be a way to improve open water searches by drastically reducing the time it takes to find missing people.
During her Master’s Degree at Simon Fraser University, Carlyn began working on ideas for improving open water searches. After graduating, she continued experimenting with electronics that could serve this purpose. Although she had limited time outside her full-time job, an unexpected layoff in 2014 prompted her to focus more closely on these ideas. Determined to create a solution, Carlyn began building a prototype…
Why a civilian dive team recovered a missing diver near Digby
The RCMP wouldn’t follow a fire department’s underwater scans that led to the recovery of the body of a missing diver in St. Marys Bay.
The 29-year-old diver from the Municipality of Clare went missing in waters off Digby, N.S., on Aug. 30. The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Halifax led the initial search, Digby RCMP responded and multiple volunteer fire departments were on the water within hours.
“My understanding is that … he was on a dive ship, and as he was coming to the surface something happened where he ended up back under the surface and then the search began,” JRCC Maj. Trevor Ackland said at the time….
VodaSafe on a mission to revolutionize water rescue, recovery
Vancouver firm has developed potential life-saving tool is in use by customers in 48 countries worldwide.
Tragic stories come with the territory navigated by Vancouver-based entrepreneur Carlyn Loncaric.
In fact, many of her customers purchase her company’s flagship product in the wake of a disaster.
Loncaric founded VodaSafe in 2017 to create a rescue solution for open water drownings, and two years later launched the world’s first handheld intelligent sonar device, which helps make water rescue and victim recovery missions faster, safer and more effective, she says.
The AquaEye uses sonar and artificial intelligence technology to identify humans under water, allowing first responders to search nearly half a hectare (one acre) of water in a minute and reduce search times by 87 per cent…
NWRAC Tests New Sonar
August 27, FREEPORT NY – On the night of June 13, 2024, members of the Nassau County Water Rescue Advisory Committee [NWRAC] met at Cow Meadow Park in Freeport for a demonstration of the AquaEye Underwater Sonar Scanner. The scanner is able to locate human bodies in various waterways and scan large areas of water in a short amount of time…
Father’s Day Tragedy Leads to Change
Vancouver B.C – August 22, 2024 – A tragic double drowning of a father and his 14-year-old daughter occurred in Crosby TX over the recent Father’s-Day weekend.
After receiving the initial call, the Crosby Fire Department arrived on-scene quickly. Like many fire rescue departments across the country, they were not fully equipped for rapid ‘hour-one’ water operations (the ‘live’ rescue window) and so were unable to locate the pair in time for a rescue. A public safety dive team from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office responded and after a brief search, the female was located and recovered. The search continued, and after approximately 7 hours, the male was located and recovered, providing closure for their family.
Crosby Fire and the Commissioners of the Harris County Emergency Services District #80, who oversee and fund the department, are committed to…
DLRG in Erlangen relies on AquaEye to search for people
Erlangen – The helpers of the German Lifesaving Association in Erlangen use an Aqua-Eye to find people in bodies of water. The device uses ultrasound and AI to do this. They are now testing it for the first time.
In most cases, quickly rescuing victims in murky and polluted waters is extremely complicated. When searching in a wide variety of waters, speed and good visibility are usually required. However, visibility is often poor in rivers, canals and ponds, which makes it extremely difficult for rescue and search teams to quickly locate the people they are looking for.
Artificial intelligence for firefighters….
Water rescue team reminding residents about water safety, introducing life saving equipment
Echo Valley Provincial Park, Sask. – The Amphibious Response Support Unit at Echo Valley Provincial Park quickly sprung into action Friday afternoon to help with a rescue.
A woman who had been floating on the lake in an inflatable was caught in the current and began drifting away.
“This happened very quickly. She wasn’t able to paddle back. She wasn’t wearing a life jacket. That could have led to a very serious problem,” said John Maczko, the Commanding Officer for the response team.
She was rescued and transported back to shore.
It all happened just as the members from the support team, the provincial government and the Lifesaving Society of Saskatchewan were teaching people about the importance of water safety…