The fishing industry is one of the most dangerous industries in the world but Ballard resident Alex Reid of Ark Maritime has manufactured a device that he says, will help save lives on the high seas and make the industry safer.



At a safety demonstration at Fisherman's Terminal on Friday, July 29, Reid invited the maritime safety community to show just how his device can save lives when a person has fallen overboard.



Shawn Wruth and his professional team of Maritime Safety and Security divers conducted various rescue scenarios in which the person overboard was scooped up with Ark Maritime's recovery cage and brought safely to land.



Designed after his uncle's revolutionary device, Reid's Man Overboard Recovery Cage is unlike other safety devices in that it requires little to no participation from the person overboard.



"A lot of safety devices require the person to clutch or hold onto the recovery device but the cage can scoop you up even when you're unable to facilitate in your own recovery," Reid said.



Made of rigid aluminum, the 70-pound cage can be deployed in less than 20 seconds and is strong enough to carry two people.



Surrounded by floats on two sides, the cage not only resists rollover in turbulent waters, the floats also act as protection from the vessel's hull.



Reid said those are a few of the six unchanging design principles his uncle insisted upon when he designed the safety device in 2006.



Reid's uncle, Robert Reid is a retired Scottish skipper who invented the recovery device after many Man Overboard fatalities rocked the local fishing community.



Robert Reid's device has won numerous awards in Europe and Alex Reid has spent the last two years perfecting a newer model that is lighter and stronger than the original design and 100 percent American-made.



"We dug our heels in and refused to have it made anywhere else but it was tougher than we thought," Reid said. "But I'm very happy with the way it turned out. Not only is the cage manufactured here but all of the materials are also local."



Reid said shows like the Deadliest Catch highlight the dangers of life at sea and that he instead, wants to demonstrate his product to highlight safety procedures and further the discussion on how to best serve those who work in some of the most dangerous jobs in the world.

The device is not limited to just the commercial fishing industry but is also recommended for use on tugs, barges, cruise ships, or at ports, marinas and harbors.



Reid said the Man Overboard Recovery Cage has been requested to be the safety equipment of choice at this year's Fall Fisherman's Festival and that there's a lot of interest in the cage.



"We've been in search of something that meets our absolute zero tolerance policy," said David Podurgiel, Consol Energy Safety Mentor and AWO MOB Committee member.

"We don't accept accidents and we think this is a great product."



To learn more about this product contact Ark Maritime LLC or Alex Reid at info@ark-maritime.com. Ark Maritime's website, www.ark-maritime.com will be coming soon.