Drowning remains a pressing global concern, claiming the lives of an estimated 236,000 people each year. This devastating reality, especially for children aged 5-14, underscores the critical need for effective water rescue training. As a business, Ruth Lee Ltd has been involved in water rescue for over two and a half decades and we are committed to providing products that empower rescuers to train realistically so that they can save more lives.
Closing the Gap: The Birth of Advanced Water Rescue Training
Recognising a crucial gap in the market, we embarked on a mission to create an ultra-realistic water rescue manikin. With the help of the experts at Lifecast Body Simulation LTD, the Advanced Water Rescue Manikin (AWRM) became the world’s first ultra-realistic drowning simulation manikin designed to be retrieved from the water and seamlessly transitioned into medical care scenarios. This groundbreaking development eliminates the need to switch between different manikins, streamlining the training process and ensuring a more fluid and effective learning experience, something that before could not have been effectively achieved.
Emulating Real-Life Scenarios
In high-pressure water rescue situations, emotional responses play a pivotal role. The AWRM was meticulously engineered to closely replicate a real person, with a realistic face, soft skin and even eyeballs! This life-like presentation never fails to generate an emotional response from the people who see it, who have become used to training with manikins which accurately replicate the size and weight of a person but lack the physical human appearance. Bringing these emotional dynamics into training allows responders to better prepare for the realities they may encounter when rescuing someone from drowning. How would you and your team react and effectively manage a very life-like-looking toddler who was producing foam from the mouth during ventilation? This vital component of the manikin ensures that training extends beyond the technical aspects, encompassing the psychological and emotional dimensions of water rescues too.
Global Impact and Rave Reviews
Since its launch, the AWRM has made a significant impact on water rescue training worldwide. Rescue professionals across the globe have incorporated this innovative tool into their training regimen, and the feedback has been nothing short of extraordinary. Recently, Sopockie WOPR and OSP RW Gdynia, water rescue teams from Poland, incorporated the AWRM into their training sessions. Their glowing endorsement reflects the manikin’s precision and attention to detail, particularly in replicating human weight and water behaviour, making training drills eerily similar to actual rescue operations.
“Thanks to its precise construction and details, the mannequin perfectly reproduces the human figure – both in terms of weight and behavior in the water. Thanks to this, the exercises become even more similar to real rescue operations.” – Sopockie WOPR.
Capturing the Moment: Aerial Excellence
The visual impact of the AWRM in action is equally remarkable. Credit is due to Fly2Rescue for their outstanding aerial and drone photography, which vividly captures the training exercises and underscores the manikin’s realism and effectiveness.
Sopockie WOPR technician tows the AWRM in open water
The Sopockie WOPR team practice extricating a casualty to a lifeboat using a spineboard
The Sopockie WOPR team simulate casualty care on board a lifeboat with the Advanced Water Rescue Manikin
Once the water rescue is complete, the scenario continues on to the beach with ALS including CPR and airway management
Once the scenario is compeleted its time to review and provide feedback for continuation of learning
Thank you to our dedicated distributors, MEDline, for their invaluable contribution to this project and for bringing the AWRM to Poland. Their collaboration has been instrumental in furthering water rescue training capabilities in the region.
The Ruth Lee Advanced Water Rescue Manikin stands as a testament to our commitment to advancing water rescue training worldwide. By bridging the gap between training and real-life scenarios, the AWRM empowers rescuers with the skills and confidence needed to save lives in the face of water-related emergencies. Learn more about this groundbreaking tool and request a free demonstration in your country here.
Together, we can make a difference in reducing drowning-related fatalities worldwide.