Written by: Paul McDonnell, Managing Director at Ruth Lee
These pictures show Ruth Lee’s Search & Rescue manikin being put through its paces by the French Ministry of Defence. The objective of the exercise was to test the suitability of our products for training exercises for helicopter pilots and divers, both on land and in the sea.
The final report issued by the French Naval Air Force was a glowing reflection of the quality of Ruth Lee’s manikins, and in this case the highly realistic simulation of an unconscious body floating in the water, at a 45 degree angle with only the head and shoulders out of the water.
The secret to the performance of this manikin is the balance between the weighting and the buoyancy – the tough nylon mesh carcass allows the water to penetrate rapidly and after a few minutes the legs will drop below the surface. The manikin is highly durable; using high density polypropylene webbing, reinforced PVC and non-absorbent closed cell foam.
The exercise included winching the body up to the helicopter both on and off a stretcher, performed by highly skilled rescue personnel. Ruth Lee’s manikin was met with the ‘complete satisfaction’ of the French authorities.
