01. Founder Short Bio

From the Founder

Fathom Tanks, founded in 2021, is headquartered in Austin Texas, and is the industry-leading provider of water simulation tanks. Fathom Tank designer and owner, Barton Bollfrass, is a former Navy EOD Diver who worked in the entertainment industry for more than a decade after military service. His vision to use realistic movie set design with military-style training brought a never before seen level of control to the industries of rescue, scientific research, education, and film. Fathom Tank technology provides new levels of manipulation to simulate hyper realistic water scenarios with a 100% safety record. The company mission, “We’ve got your six”, is a military term letting your partners know that their safety is under control. Fathom tanks are the only water environment facility option to guarantee that safety. Active tanks are in Texas and North Carolina, USA as of 2023.

– BARTON BOLLFRASS

02.Company History and facts

Fathom Tanks, founded in 2021, is headquartered in Austin Texas, and is the industry-leading provider of water simulation tanks. Fathom Tanks owner, Barton Bollfrass, created a design bringing a never before seen level of control to the industries of rescue, scientific research, education, and film. Fathom Tank technology provides new levels of manipulation to simulate hyper realistic water scenarios with a 100% safety record. The company mission, “We’ve got your six”, is a military term letting your partners know that their safety is under control. Fathom tanks are the only water environment facility option to guarantee that safety.

03. Logo Variants

04. Pictures and Videos

05. ABOUT OUR PRODUCTS AND FACTS

Our indoor water simulation tanks are designed to provide hyper-realistic training environments with full control and safety to trainees. We provide a safe, clean, accessible location for training throughout the year. Tanks can be customized to replicate a swiftwater flood rescue, submerged vehicle incidents, a nighttime storm, a rescue with emergency lights or lightning limiting visibility, home rescue, manholes and box culverts, washouts, low water crossings, raft approached, oil pipelines, railroad bridges, and more. 76% of all flood-related drowning involve a vehicle. First responders should not be experiencing these variables for the first time on an emergency call. Fathom Tanks is the only option that allows them to train with these factors.

One third of people who die in swiftwater incidents are first responders. Around the world, emergency services personnel are training in rivers or outdoor pools which carry flesh-eating bacteria from rainwater and reach dangerous temperatures in the winter. With flood frequency rising,a safe yet realistic training environment is essential to protecting our flood rescue teams.Designed by a former Navy EOD Diver, our above-ground water tanks are deep enough to submerge a vehicle and can be heated and controlled for water current. They have been utilized by hundreds of emergency services departments across the world to prepare their teams for flood rescues and obtain NFPA certifications. Fathom Tanks is the only facility that has a 100% accident free safety report in the 6 years since it’s first design.

Tested by: Department of defense, FBI, National Guard, Local and state police, FEMA

Course compatibility:

  • NFPA 1006 Awareness Level 1
  • NFPA Technician Level 2
  • Search and rescue swimmer
  • Flood rescue boat operator
  • Rope rescue technician
  • Dive recovery
  • Water survival training
  • Many More

Features:

  • Vehicle wreck extraction tool testing
  • Train with an actual submerged vehicle, train, plane, bus…
  • Responding Units – police lights, sirens, helicopter spotlight
  • Environmental effects like rain, lightning, and thunder
  • Controllable water level, temperature, current, and flow
  • 24/7 access to clean, filtered, treated water
  • Temperature controlled water / heated in colder months

06.TESTIMONIALS

Barton Bollfrass

First-responders have publicly credited our training tanks for having saved lives on multiple occasions, including their own. I’m incredibly proud of what we have accomplished.

Upson County Sheriff’s Office

[We] had just undergone swiftwater rescue training [at Fathom] around Thanksgiving time, but [we] never expected to have to put it to use quickly. Came home alive because of it.

Harris County Sheriff’s Office

Very realistic, more effective, and a lot safer. If we would have had this, [during Hurricane Harvey] would have been much simpler.

Austin Health Department

We submitted [Fathom] to a more difficult examination process than the average business due to the nature of their industry and the importance of their rescue clientele.

Hurst Jaws of Life

We encourage these scenario-based tanks for your own department. The different challenges it presents will surprise many.

National Fire Protection Agency

Fathom Tanks are an ideal physical location to practice swiftwater and flood courses. Safer than rivers.

Texas Army National Guard

Courses such as the one offered in [Fathom Tanks] ought to be required for all of us who respond to flood disasters.

Cypress Creek Fire Department

The potential of what [Fathom] has started is enormous for the surrounding area.

Benjamin Henggeler, Bakersfield, CA Fire Captain & Swift Water Task Force Leader

We train for this type of thing, but training and actually doing it, it’s very different. It forces you to use all your skill set of everything that you’ve learned and prepared for.

Capt. Bryce Mitchell, Sacramento Fire District, Swift Water Task Force

Rescue conditions has been the biggest challenge. We are launching at night with low visibilty.