Battling the California Fires With Water Made From The Air

An emergency response vehicle (ERV) provided by Watergen USA is currently making its way to California to assist in rescue and recovery efforts in the massive wildfires that have taken at least 84 lives.

The vehicle is carrying an atmospheric water generator known as a “GEN-350.” The machine can produce up to 156 gallons (600 liters) of water per day, and as a transportable machine, it is specially designed to assist people in locations that are not easily accessible.

“Providing the police and firefighters with the basic necessity of drinking water allows them to serve and help for longer periods of time,” said CEO of Watergen USA, Ed Russo. “It would especially reduce the need for plastic bottles, which sitting in the sun would be unhealthy.”

Hundreds of people still remain missing or unaccounted for as a result of the fires. The Camp Fire, which has been burning northern California in Butte County since November 8, has destroyed some 17,000 building structures, burned over 150,000 acres and is responsible for 81 of the deaths.

The other fire, which also started on November 8, burned close to 100,000 acres in the Ventura and Los Angeles Counties and is responsible for the other 3 deaths. In the meantime, the US Department of Health and Human Services has declared a public health emergency in the state of California.

“The chairman of our company in Israel believes very strongly in humanitarian efforts to assist those who have lost everything in California,” said Mr. Yehuda Kaploun, President of Watergen USA. “If we can help relieve the burden by providing them with clean water, that is something that we will most definitely do.

Watergen USA has also launched a Go Fund Me campaign where it has promised to match the goal of $300,000 to bring an additional ERV and a GEN-350 equipped with the vehicle.