The Lloydminster Rescue Squad has obtained new underwater search and rescue equipment that will assist in the services to our community and beyond. Boundary Ford Gives needed little time to make a decision when supporting a much needed upgrade to the LRS equipment that will make a huge impact on the services and closure they provide to our community.

Deputy Chief Ryan Leblanc says its the single largest donation in their history which they used to buy a Marine Sonic towfish system.

“It goes down in the water. So when a family has an accident with a water related incident; so someone drowns, we are able to scan with high resolution equipment and be able to recover that individual in a very timely manner, rather than that family having to wait for an extended period of time for that loved one to be recovered.”

Leblanc pointed out that in one particular operation it took over seven months to recover the body. Their new equipment will allow them to scan a greater area in a shorter time frame, particularly in deep water. In shallow water, he noted that the benefit of the extremely high resolution will be a bonus for this area and as well other rescue operations they conduct on the prairies.

The Rescue Squad team underwent training in Cold Lake for five days of training on their new underwater gear led by a tutor from Marine Sonic in the USA.