City of Lethbridge Firefighter and Water Rescue - Using ROVs to Optimize Missions

City of Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services

We spoke to City of Lethbridge firefighter and water rescue team member Brendon Pyne to learn more about how he and his crew use their DTG3. We were thrilled to speak to such a dedicated and passionate first responder to hear about how ROVs are used in recovery missions.

DTG3 Grabber Arm

Using an ROV for Search and Recovery

Brendon and his team use their ROV in a variety of ways throughout their work - from diver assistance to victim searching and locating.

“It definitely suits our department,” shared Brendon. “We feel that it will make our missions faster, and help us know where to look for victims.”

The first step in recovery is to research potential locations based on witness statements. Water conditions can vary widely in these circumstances and it is important that divers stay safe throughout the search and recovery process. With the use of an ROV, teams can put the vehicle in the water first to ensure the safety of the team.

Benefits of using an ROV for Search and Recovery

“We can send the ROV into hazardous water that we don’t want to send our divers into first. We survey the bottom of lakes and rivers to ensure that there are no entanglements for them,” explained Brendon.

Submersible ROVs are also used to locate underwater targets. By using the robot, teams can save time and money by only putting divers into the water when absolutely necessary.

“If we find a victim with the ROV, we hold onto the victim with the grabber arm and potentially bring them up with the vehicle or send a diver down the line to retrieve them,” said Brendon. “With the grabber arm, it is very useful.”

A high quality camera is imperative to first response teams. Varying conditions and turbid water require a reliable and precise camera.

“We love it, we absolutely love it,” exclaimed Brendon. “Everyone that has looked over our shoulders is very impressed with the camera quality.”

Optimize the time, safety and budget of your SAR mission with ROVs

The Deep Trekker Difference

At Deep Trekker when you buy an ROV, you buy the whole team, the ideas, the vision and the support. It is incredibly important to our team that our users are happy with their vehicle.“The unit itself is awesome and your support has been awesome,”said Brendon. “It’s a great, well rounded ROV - perfect for search and recovery teams.”

When asked why the City of Lethbridge chose Deep Trekker, Brendon explained, “Price point was important, we’re a municipal department so cost is important to us. We tried to keep our purchasing in Canada and this was the best all around to suit all of our needs.”

“We really enjoy it, it's going to be great for us,” shared Brendon. “We’re ecstatic about it.”

We sincerely thank Brendon and the City of Lethbridge for their time and effort in the creation of this story. As always, our team of experts is available to answer any questions you may have about the use of ROVs in search and recovery.