A Rishon Lezion-based company that generates water from air participated for the first time ever last week in an emergency drill conducted by the U.S. Army.
The Water-Gen company, recently nominated by Fast Company business magazine as one of the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies, was tasked with working to assess the benefits of its machinery during “a state of emergency” as its part of the drill. The five-day exercise took place in Indianapolis and Chicago, and simulated the collapse of hotels and involved search and rescue operations.
Rescue forces face a major challenge ensuring that a steady supply of water and protein reaches disaster sites.
Other Israeli participants in the drill included IDF Home Front Command’s National Search and Rescue Unit, and the ZAKA International Rescue Unit. On the American side, the drill integrated a special unit from the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA); a regional unit from the National Guard; the Chemical Biological Incident Response Force of the US Marine Corps; and delegates from other authorities that facilitate search and rescue missions in the United States.
The rescue units practiced rescuing victims trapped inside a building that had collapsed due to a tornado. Medium-sized GEN-350G model water generators were stationed at the scene in order to supply water to the rescue workers and victims. In addition to these machines, Water-Gen also manufactures larger machines with capacity of up to 6,000 liters of water per day, enough to supply water to entire cities.
“This experience is invaluable for us, from the training with military personnel to the understanding of how all the emergency organizations work together,” said Maxim Pasik, Executive Chairman of Water-Gen. “Water-Gen and ZAKA emergency preparedness training is ever-evolving, and we thank the U.S. military for ensuring we are more prepared to save lives and offer relief efforts if needed.”