Motorized Rescue Reel

Project goal: To design, build and test a motorized reel system that allows rescuers to bring the EMILY unit and drowning survivors back to shore. A shortcoming of the Emergency Integrated Lifesaving Lanyard, or EMILY, developed by the sponsor for rapid deployment to save people from drowning, is that it cannot bring survivors back to shore. Research, testing and data analysis were performed to determine the loads that the reel system would experience during a water rescue. Sponsor requirements included that the system weigh no more than 50 pounds and be portable by one person, and that it can operate in extreme heat and salt-water environments, which limited the materials that could be used. Evaluation of the selected materials’thermal resistance, corrosion resistance and overall tensile strength was conducted to determine the best option. The information obtained was used to select a motor and develop the variable-speed controller, which maintains a constant speed during retrieval. The tests showed that as the rope is winched in, the increase in reel diameter increases the speed by more than two miles per hour. Limited system tests were performed to verify performance requirements.