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Para-life Rescue
Narrator: The Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro—or Rio, as it is commonly known—is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Its combination of impressive coastline with absolutely stunning mountains attracts people from all over the world.
Sports like paragliding have long been very popular in this beautiful coastal region and now there is a new type of glider in town. It's called the paramotor. It consists of a lightweight engine and a large propeller. Both are strapped to the back of the pilot. The aircraft was originally invented for sports and leisure, but these days it's saving lives.
The use of paramotors for search-and-rescue began several years ago when Brazilian paragliding champion and instructor Ruy Marra was flying a tour over Copacabana Beach in Rio.
Ruy Marra: I was flying over Copacabana Beach in 1995, doing (an) advertisement for a company with (a) paramotor, when I saw a woman drowning under me. And then I was very worried. I (had ) a life preserver for myself, and then I had the idea to use (it and) to3 give (it to) her. So I put it on my leg. I came down, because it is easier to manoeuvre the paramotor. I shouted (to) her and then I gave her the life preserver. That's the way it was (with) the first rescue in the world with (a) paramotor.
Narrator: Since that first rescue, Marra has founded a private business and developed the Para-life Rescue System into an important component of beach safety all around Brazil. Over the past few years, his staff of 20 people has been responsible for over 80 rescues. Para-life pilots are now often cheered as they take off and land.
Initially, Marra had to receive government approval for his Para-life business. He also had to get a cooperation agreement from the lifeguard association. The lifeguards turned out to be big fans of the system. They work with the Para-life teams by communicating through two-way radios. This has greatly expanded the lifeguards' search-and-rescue capabilities.
Lifeguard: It is a great help to us, because it really helps to have an aerial view of the beach and the swimmers offshore. Once a person is sinking, the paramotor pilot can drop a life preserver to them and sustain them until we get there
Narrator: Para-life pilots prepare for their flights by strapping themselves into a lightweight but powerful frame. The frame holds the propeller and a small backpack equipped with a life preserver, binoculars, and two-way radio. The small motor keeps the pilot in the air for up to three hours and allows the aircraft to get down to the water quite rapidly.
Once a victim is discovered, the pilot first calls in to the lifeguards. Then, the pilot flies against the wind to reduce flight speed and manoeuvres close enough to drop the life eserver to the swimmer. The pilot then continues to fly above the victim until the lifeguards arrive.
The beaches of Rio can get extremely crowded during the three-month-long high season. During this period, three Para-life teams, with two pilots each, work Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, as long as the winds are manageable.
To identify the highest-risk areas for swimmers, pilots also look for dangerous rip currents. A rip current is a strong surface flow of water that's moving towards the sea from nearer to the shore. Para-life pilots can identify them because they are lighter in colour than normal waves when seen from above.
Marra is planning to start a Para-life programme in Brazil that teaches both essential piloting skills and water rescue skills. He also intends to offer a paramedic course. In the future, Marra is still going to be saving people from drowning at the beach, but if his plans go well, he'll also be teaching people everywhere how to use the Para-life Rescue System.
Ruy Marra: My long-term idea is to train people in other countries to (do) this, to use the Para-life Rescue System and help the lifeguards, and push down the numbers of people drowning on the beach.
Narrator: Hopefully someday soon, everyone’s beaches can be safer with the Para-life Rescue System. |
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