SHERIFF'S EQUIPMENT
Huey helicopters
Diver recovery
- Billy Pugh
- Hoist
Radon Dive Boat
Hysucat Dive Boat
Kongsberg Scanning Sonar
Kawasaki PWCs (loner program)
Zodiac
Dive Support Vehicle
ScubaPro Full Face Masks/DiveLink Underwater Communications
TEAM MEMBER REQUIRED EQUIPMENT
A vital element of search and recovery diving is proper equipment. Inadequate equipment can cause a search to be haphazard and a fruitless waste of effort. The equipment required for our SAR divers is listed in three sections:
1. Personal dive equipment required on any search and recovery dive;
2. Ancillary equipment to support the SAR diver;
3. Specialized search equipment.
Personal dive equipment
1. Gear bag
2. Mask
3. Snorkel
4. Fins
5. Buoyancy control device
6. Power inflator
7. Scuba tank (two-minimum 72 cu.ft.)
8. Regulator
9. Alternate air source (octopus, Air II, etc.)
10. Console containing:
Tank pressure gauge
Underwater compass
Depth Gauge
11. Dive computer (may integrate pressure and depth gauges)
12. Exposure suit (wet or dry including hood, booties, gloves)
13. Weight belt (2 - salt and fresh water) or weight system with quick release
14. Knife, sharp (two recommended)
15. Signaling Device (s) (whistle, flares, flasher)
Ancillary Equipment
1. Underwater light (two recommended)
2. Side Cutters (dykes)
3. Marker buoy (pelican float, etc.)
4. First Aid Kit
5. Lift bag (s)
6. Small "goodie" type bag
7. Decompression tables and worksheets (waterproof)
8. Spare parts kit
Specialized search equipment
1. Six foot buddy line (snap w/swivel on one end - ring on other)
2. Ringed search line (2 each) snap w/ swivel w/ 10 1" brass rings 30" apart
5. Mini-mother & mast, w/ 25 lb. base weight & 4 lb. counter weight, w/ 2 foot chain w/ swivels at each end
6. 3 each reels with 100 foot (min.) line attached
8. 1 each (small) area marker with weight and counter weight
JUST A NOTE REGARDING EQUIPMENT:
It is extremely important that all equipment be properly maintained (inclusive of proper washing after a dive, proper storage between dives, periodic inspection, and necessary servicing). It would serve you well to remember that the gear you fail to take care of after your last dive ... may not take care of you on your next dive
Used to keep buddy teams together in low visibility.
Used for low visibility circular searches. Line between rings works out to be length of an arm sweep.
Used to clip in to a line on a straight line search. Enables diver stay on a line hands free and to disengage when necessary.
Double Ended Snap (brass)
Multipurpose- an indispensable part of a public safety diver's search gear.
Anchor point for circular search patterns.
1/4" polypro line, marked in ten foot increments, useful for a variety of search patterns.
Used as a place marker on circular search patterns.
Used as a sign that area has been searched. Once deployed, Mini-Mother can be removed and used on new area.
Illustrations by Larry Butgereit and Karen Giles-Buell. Photos courtesy of Les Meredith and Charlie Curtis