After some brief remarks from county officials, the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services debuted new rescue equipment that will be used to save people and animals during emergency responses.
The new equipment includes a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), underwater camera and side-scan sonar detecting rescue boat.
Howard County workers spent “hundreds of hours” training on the ROV before it was put online mid-October 2015, according to HCDFRS Facebook page.
According to Fire and Rescue Services officials, these new pieces of equipment could help with victim rescue and recovery, law enforcement investigations, hazmat detection and damage assessments and inspections of infrastructure, like bridges and dams.
Rescue officials said that this time of year, right around Memorial Day, marks a time when HCDFRS sees an increase in water-related emergency responses.
On average, Howard County responds to 18-25 water-related rescue calls each year, and this new technology will allow operators to save precious time and reduce risk.
For more information on staying safe while enjoying the water this summer, click here.
Download the ABC2 News app for the iPhone, Kindle and Android
