The onset of the rainy season here in the Philippines is synonymous to the return of floods. And we're not yet even talking about floods caused by strong typhoons; a strong 1-hour rain can already cause knee-level floods in an ordinary uraban barangay here in Metro Manila.
H2O Salamander with PSDMN RESCUE RECON
Did you know that out of the estimated 42,000 barangays in the Philippines, 26,000 are considerd flood-prone? That's how bad the flooding problem in the country is. So a recent invention by H20 Technologies called H20 Salamander.
While the government is doing its part in building the necessary flood mitigating infrastructures like sufficient drainage systems and other flood control projects, it will take a long time and a lot of money to complete them all. In the meantime, how can the people living in the 26,000 flood-prone barangays – as identified by the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council or NDRRMC – in the Philippines cope with massive flooding and the great challenges that come with it? And even after completing such infrastructures, how about the many other areas outside Metro Manila and other major cities in the Philippines that aren’t included in such infrastructure projects?
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| H2O Technoligies' H2O Salamander |
In response to this particular challenge posed by today’s severe weather, a cutting-edge Filipino innovation and technology company – H2O Technologies – has developed the H2O Salamander.
It is an amphibious multi-utility vehicle that can safely run on both land and water, yes even in flood waters. It’s a potential game changer in terms of responding to typhoon-related disasters and mitigating the effects of severe flooding, especially in highly urbanized areas. The vehicle can be utilize to ensure continuity to provide basic services needed by people in every flood prone barangays.
The H2O Salamander can carry up to 6 passengers (driver included) and comes in electricity and gasoline powered versions.
Crowd Source Funding & Partnership
H2O Technologies is partnering with the single biggest non-government organization (NGO) that helps the Philippine government in dealing natural calamities like typhoons and massive flooding – the Philippine Red Cross.
The Red Cross provides critical disaster management services to local government units (LGU) severely affected by natural calamities like floods through its disaster relief activities like rescue operations, among others. H2O is partnering with the Philippine Red Cross in helping local government units manage natural calamities better by donating 500 units of the H2O Salamander.
For a successful campaign, we need to raise the amount of US$4.3 million.To do this, it will embark on a 60-day crowd source funding campaign via www.startsomegood.com, a crowd-funding platform for social enterprises, nonprofit projects and change makers starting June 27, 2016.
The campaign will give social change supporters the opportunity to donate $10, $50, $100, $150 and $2,500 in this crowd funding campaign;
Aside from the opportunity to help the Philippine Red Cross assist the Philippine LGUs in dealing with and managing floods and other typhoon-related calamities much better, supporters will also receive the following:
1. For $10 support/donation:
- Acknowledgement of the Supporter by including his or her name on the H2O Salamander’s Vision Wall Website.
2. For $50 support/donation:
- Acknowledgement of the Supporter by including his or her name on the H2O Salamander’s Vision Wall Website
- And a limited-edition premium quality H2O Salamander T-Shirt (dry-fit material with reflectorize print).
3. For $100 support/donation:
- Acknowledgement of the Supporter by including his or her name on the H2O Salamander’s Vision Wall Website
- a limited-edition premium quality H2O Salamander T-Shirt (dry-fit material with reflectorize print).
- And a Portable Rechargeable LED Lantern Lighting with Power Bank;
4. For $150 support/donation:
- Acknowledgement of the Supporter by including his or her name on the H2O Salamander’s Vision Wall Website
- a limited-edition premium quality H2O Salamander T-Shirt (dry-fit material with reflectorize print).
- a Portable Rechargeable LED Lantern Lighting with Power Bank;
- And an H2O Salamander 58-piece Emergency and Survival Kit (water-proof floater bag); includes LED flashlight with dual band radio, a 5-in-1 multi-function rescue whistle, a stainless steel multi-function tool-knife, a rain poncho, etc.
5. For $2,500 support/donation:
- Acknowledgement of the Supporter by including his or her name on the H2O Salamander’s Vision Wall Website
- a limited-edition premium quality H2O Salamander T-Shirt (dry-fit material with reflectorize print).
- a Portable Rechargeable LED Lantern Lighting with Power Bank;
- an H2O Salamander 58-piece Emergency and Survival Kit (water-proof floater bag); includes LED flashlight with dual band radio, a 5-in-1 multi-function rescue whistle, a stainless steel multi-function tool-knife, a rain poncho, etc.
- Your company will also get an advertising opportunity, as its logo can be on the doors of One of the 500 units that will be donated to the Philippine Red Cross.
- Costs of shipping the limited edition shirts, LED lanterns, and the 58-piece emergency and survival kits are already included in the above-mentioned support amounts.
The crowd source funding campaign will run from 27 June 2016 to 26 August 2016.
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| H2O Salamander |
No doubt about it, climate change has already come. While we can no longer do anything about it, we can – as a people – learn to manage it well. But in order to do this, changes need to be made. In particular, changes in the way we respond to natural calamities like flooding. These changes can come – and will come – with your help.
Log on to www.startsomegood.com and know more about the H2O Salamander!
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