STELLA, the New Rescue Sled, Ready for Snow Debut in Lake George, NY
The Post-Star, Glens Falls, N.Y.
(TNS)
LAKE GEORGE – The "STELLA Snow Rescue Sled," an emergency response vehicle built by a Saratoga County inventor, will be publicly unveiled and tested in Lake George this weekend.
Public testing and review of the new rescue vehicle will take place in collaboration with the South Warren Snowmobile Club on Saturday, Feb. 7.
"Please join us in pushing New York further in innovation and seeing the future of rescue technology up close," Tuller wrote in an email to The Post-Star.
Created by local inventor and former volunteer firefighter Dan Tuller, the STELLA Sled was designed to help save people trapped in heavy snow, ice and blizzards. The namesake for Tuller's invention was his late cat, but he said "STELLA" also stands for "Storm Emergency Linkable Lifesaving Apparatus." The towable, enclosed and insulated rescue response vehicle is patented, ADA-compliant and comes equipped with GPS monitoring. It travels on skis, features multiple child safety seats, and can carry up to eight passengers.
Tuller first presented a prototype of his invention to Sen. Jim Tedisco (R-44) during an October 2025 showcase.
"The STELLA Snow Rescue Sled can help our emergency first responders better mitigate future loss of life and prevent a tragedy from occurring," Tedisco said at the time. "I’m proud that this innovative rescue apparatus was created and built right here in Saratoga County in the 44th Senate District, and it’s an invention that can not only help save lives here in New York but in other areas that experience harsh winter weather."
Tuller said he was inspired to create STELLA after the Christmas 2022 blizzard in Buffalo. The historic storm, which lasted from Dec. 23 to Dec. 27, brought over 50 inches of snow and bomb cyclone winds that reached nearly 80 mph. The severe cold, power failures, and delayed emergency services led to 47 confirmed deaths.
According to the Erie County Sheriff's Office, two-thirds of emergency vehicles sent to save people ended up needing rescuing themselves and more than 420 EMS calls went unanswered during those four frigid days. Because emergency vehicles were unable to get through the snow, a lot of lives were tragically lost. This got Tuller pondering a solution.
"In some communities, the weather resulted in 81 inches of impassable snow, creating hazardous terrain and unpredictable conditions. When motorists became stranded, the efforts of first responders were bound by the limitations of available essential equipment," Tuller said of the 2022 blizzard. "I developed the STELLA Snow Rescue Sled to ensure that our first responders have the best opportunity possible to save lives when life-threatening winter weather events occur."
The public is invited to the STELLA testing event, which will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at 61 Transfer Rd. in Lake George.
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