Remote-Controlled Buoy Saves Lives at 12mph on NC Beaches

When someone starts drowning, every second becomes the difference between life and death.

North Carolina beaches are now getting a powerful new ally in water rescues: a remote-controlled buoy that speeds out to struggling swimmers at 11 knots, roughly 12mph. That's faster than even the most skilled lifeguard can swim.

The U Safe buoy works like a rescue drone for the water. Anyone can throw it in and drive it out to someone in distress using a simple remote control. It requires no physical strength, no license, and no training. The device can carry two full-size adults back to safety.

The Southport Fire Department recently added the technology to their rescue toolkit. Fire Chief Charles Drew says it's already changing how his team thinks about water emergencies.

"Any time I have a swimmer or boater in distress, I don't have to put an emergency responder in the water to do a rescue," Drew said. "When we start putting emergency responders in the water, there's always the risk that we're going to have an issue with one of them."

The buoys have been used thousands of times around the world. One recent North Carolina rescue involved a diver who had drifted nearly a mile from his boat. The device reached him in time.

Despite that track record, fewer than a dozen U Safe buoys are currently deployed along the entire North Carolina coastline. Richard Neal, executive director of FP Tower Incorporated, is working to change that number.

The Ripple Effect

Neal envisions a future where these buoys become as common at beaches as defibrillators are at gyms and parks. Staged at regular intervals along the shore, they would be ready for anyone to grab in an emergency.

"Everyone goes to the ocean and walks up and down the beach," Neal said. "If we can get these staged at regular intervals the way we do with defibrillators, we change the math on water rescues entirely."

Both Neal and Drew emphasize the technology doesn't replace lifeguards or emergency services. It's an extra tool that buys precious time. The most important step in any water emergency remains the same: call 911 immediately and let professionals coordinate the rescue.

Drew said the seconds saved matter more than most people realize. With traditional rescue equipment, responders have to get to the scene, assess the situation, and then swim out. The U Safe buoy can be in the water immediately, racing toward the person in trouble while help is still on the way.

The devices will save lives on both sides of a rescue, protecting swimmers in distress and the brave people who rush to help them.