Rescue Me Balloon Archives

The emergency signaling balloon that we told you about on November 17 is now on Kickstarter.

In an emergency the Rescue Me Balloon can be inflated with helium and then flown on a 150-foot monofilament string tether. Below the Coast Guard orange balloon is an LED light that flashes the SOS signal.

The company expects the selling price to be about $75, but a $40 pledge (plus shipping) on Kickstarter should get you one if the device begins shipping in April, 2015 as planned. But, nothing is guaranteed on Kickstarter.

In our earlier article we mused about how it might be useful for wildland firefighters in some situations, for example if they need immediate extraction due to an injury or aerial support if a fire is threatening their position. Usually they have radios, and they may have a GPS receiver that would tell them their latitude and longitude. If both are functional at their exact position, they could tell others their coordinates. A balloon like this 150 feet above the ground could help those firefighters if they are having problems getting through on the radio, or if they can’t get a GPS signal.

The description of the device on Kickstarter has more information about how it is designed:

In detail, Rescue Me Balloon is a cylindrical canister, similar to a lightsaber. It is Coast Guard Orange in color, about 6 inches in length and 2 inches in diameter and weighs about a quarter of a pound. The canister is easy to hold, and has a hoop for a clip for attaching to a belt, backpack, or life jacket, with glow-in-the-dark reflective tape to make it easy to find at night.

Inside the canister at the bottom is a small helium tank attached to a deflated and folded inflatable balloon. Also attached to the balloon is 150 feet of monofilament string with a super-bright LED connected to a small circuit board. In the Emergency Version, the circuit board is programmed to flash an SOS signal; in the Recreational Version, it is programmed to be a solid light. All of this is sealed inside the canister by a cap at the top with an O-Ring installed, making a water-tight seal when closed.

It was posted on Kickstarter at 8 a.m. PST today, November 21, and 45 minutes later it had 15 backers who had pledged $1,015.

Assistance needed in a remote area — will a signaling balloon help?

(UPDATE November 21, 2014: the Rescue Me Balloon is now on Kickstarter.)

A couple of weeks ago we told you about James Mosely who is asking for money to develop what he says is an improved fire shelter that would be “worn as a backpack, and deployed like a wingsuit” if a firefighter is about to be entrapped by a fast moving wildfire.

Another company will be starting a Kickstarter campaign to develop a Rescue Me Balloon which could signal that someone in a remote area needs assistance. The device, about the size of a banana before it is activated, would inflate and deploy on a 150-foot tether a lighter than air bright orange balloon with a flashing light.

If a wildland firefighter needs immediate help, in the form of extraction due to an injury or aerial support if a fire is threatening their position, they have radios that usually work, and they may have a GPS receiver that would tell them their latitude and longitude. If both are functional at their exact position, they could tell others their coordinates. A balloon like this 150 feet above the ground could help those firefighters if they are having problems getting through on the radio, or if they can’t get a GPS signal. Once their location is discovered the balloon could be reeled in so as not to interfere with aircraft coming to their rescue. One potential problem might be the fact that extreme fire behavior often occurs during strong winds, so flying a balloon could be a challenge.

This device is certainly not the answer to keep firefighters safe and it’s not applicable in all situations, but who knows — it might reduce the time it takes to find them when they are in a life and death situation.

The estimated selling price is expected to be $75, but could be available for $40 during the Kickstarter campaign, which has not yet started. You can sign up and they will keep you posted on their progress.

The video below has more details.

Oh, and as far as I know, the Rescue Me Balloon is not affiliated with the excellent TV series, Rescue Me, that starred Denis Leary as a New York City firefighter.