Backing required for rescue board prototype
After a friend had a seizure, Frank Spiniello began to wonder how he would haul him out of the water if he had another incident while out on his boat and fell overboard. The Bedford sailor began experimenting with ideas, and two years later he developed a prototype of his Emergency Rescue Board (ERB).
Described as a cross between a body board and a lifebuoy ring, the ERB is a rigid board with integrated handles and holes for a rescue line.
The board is also curved to help provide lift and leverage to retrieve casualties where there is a drop in height, such as from a riverbank.
Spiniello, who has been sailing for 14 years, also wanted to reduce the risk of cold water shock, which can be a precursor to drowning and often occurs in water below 15°C. The average UK sea temperature is just 12°C, while rivers are cooler, even in the summer. ‘The ERB lifts the body out of the water so the person is horizontal, helping to reduce the risk of hypothermia. A traditional horseshoe buoy doesn’t do this,’ he explained. He also believes casualties will be more easily seen if they are raised higher out of the water.
The first prototype was made from Celotex insulation and coated in fiberglass, although Spiniello believes the ERB could be made from a range of different materials. The prototype has undergone some inland waterway trials with the search and rescue services, including Herts Boat Rescue, but it is yet to be patented.
Spiniello is looking for a business partner to help produce and trial additional prototypes which will be supplied to boat owners and rescue services to further develop his design. Those interested can find out more by emailing him at frank@ emergencyrescueboard.com.