USCG contest seeks water rescue ideas

Sep 18, 2018 by Triton Staff

The U.S. Coast Guard has created a competition to find safety solutions that will make it easier to find and rescue people in the water.

The Ready for Rescue Challenge, a three-phase competition with a prize of $255,000, is the result of a collaborative effort between the Science and Technology Directorate of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center.

Phase I is a call for concepts, which could include a new or updated life jacket or PFD, an attachment to a life jacket or PFD, or an additional device for boaters. The best concepts will be effective, affordable and hold the potential for wide adoption by recreational boaters.

Those interested in participating in the challenge should submit their concept by 4:59 p.m. EDT on Oct. 15. The judges will select up to five monetary prize winners of $25,000 each and up to five non-monetary honorable mention award winners.

In Phase II, selected participants from Phase I will participate in a “Piranha Pool” to pitch their solution and compete for a total prize pool of $120,000. This prize is intended to help winners develop their concepts into working prototypes.

In Phase III, the Coast Guard will field test prototypes alongside standard USCG-approved safety equipment. At the conclusion of Phase III, the judging panel may award a total of $110,000 in additional monetary prizes.

For more information, visit readyforrescuechallenge.com.

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