A South Haven couple has purchased a lifesaving robot for the city to use at South Beach in the event of a drowning in progress.

Ryan and Mandy Servatius  started considering the purchase of an EMILY unit after seeing a demonstration in South Haven. Ryan tells us their decision was sealed when a EMILY unit was donated to Silver Beach County Park in St. Joseph this year.

“And it got us thinking, you know what? We don’t have lifeguards now. Let’s get the tools on board here in effect so when we do get lifeguards, you’re ready to go,” Servatius said.

EMILY, or Emergency Integrated Lifesaving Lanyard, is like a large remote-controlled boat that can be tossed in the water and raced out to a struggling swimmer. The swimmer can then cling to the device while waiting for someone to come and get them. Servatius says the units are so simple that one doesn’t have to be a lifeguard to operate them.

“The EMILY units are made not only to help lifeguards during lifeguard hours, but if there’s an emergency 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, say 1 o’clock in the morning, an average person can go, call 911, get the code, unlock the storage unit that has it, throw it in the water and get it out there to that person that’s in trouble.”

Talks have been ongoing about restoring a lifeguard program to South Haven. The city council balked at bringing back lifeguards this summer, but the momentum has been growing in the community.

Servatius says he hopes EMILY will be accepted by the city in time for it to become part of a lifeguard program next year. He met with the city parks and recreation committee this week, and it’s now considering whether to accept the device.

Meanwhile, Servatius says a crowdfunding effort has been started to buy another one, this time for North Beach. The cost of an EMILY unit is $12,800.