New robot helping Knox Co. rescuers with underwater searches

KNOX COUNTY (WATE) -- There's new help for area water searches that drag on for weeks or even months, leaving families frustrated as a loved one remains missing. It's a robotic scuba diver.

Currently, when divers with the Knox County Water Rescue Team take the plunge, they can communicate with crews on the ground by voice. But now, they'll also be able to see them very clearly, thanks to the robotic scuba diver.

Divers are counting on the robot to keep a close eye when they're underwater on dangerous missions.

"It's got a lot of mobility. There are a lot of high risk things for our divers to go down and look at," says Capt. David Henderson.

Authorities say human dives are one of the most risky operations they perform. The submarine camera will help make the job a lot less risky. They can use it to help find objects underwater, such as a knife or a gun or even a car.

"We've had calls to bring cars up that have gone under the water. Divers are down there attaching lift bags. We could have someone on surface watching divers to know how they're doing, is everybody okay," Henderson says.

The camera has been donated to Knox County after a successful exchange program with Wildland Fire and Rescue, out of Sweden.

"We saw they had a need for this kind of equipment so we said go ahead, give a donation of this machine this year and see what's coming next year," says Fire and Rescue's Mats Andersson.

The starting price for a device like the robot is over $7,000. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers now uses the robots to perform all their routine underwater inspections.

Authorities say Knox County is the only one in the area that has this technology.

Ten people died in boating accidents in Tennessee in 2005. Half of them fell overboard.

By SONU WASU
6 News Reporter

5:19 PM - 5/9/2006

'Miracle' saves woman diver

“It’s just a beautiful miracle,” Kathy Kingen said.
Kingen, and her husband Gerry, were part of that miracle on April 23 at Salty’s on Redondo when a group of strangers saved a woman’s life.
The Kingens are the owners of the Puget Sound waterfront restaurant and its two sister eateries, and they were at the brunch on that Sunday with a friend and business partner. While a sunny day, it was also windy, and Kathy Kingen remembers the choppy waves.
While eating, Gerry Kingen started watching two scuba divers. The area is popular for divers. Kathy Kingen believes it’s because the cove near the restaurant protects divers and marine life from the main tidal currents.
Gerry Kingen told his wife he thought the divers were struggling. Both Kingens are experienced scuba divers, and she agreed with his assessment. They went to the restaurant’s deck and called out to the divers, who were about 30 yards out, asking if they needed help. The divers, who later identified themselves as a husband and wife, were also experienced divers, and one gave a signal they were fine.
“’I don’t believe them,’” Kathy said she told her husband.
Sometimes when divers are in a situation like that, they don’t realize they need extra help to get it under control, she said Monday in an interview. While scuba diving looks peaceful, she said, it’s really a lot of work. Divers go into the water with at least 50 pounds of gear –– the tank, counterweights, suit and breathing apparatus.
The Kingens went to the beach to meet the couple when they came in. When the divers, who are in their 50s, were 30 feet from shore, the situation got scary.
“Somebody help me, she’s unconscious,” the man called from the water.
The Kingens and Shay Boden, Salty’s banquet manager, ran into the water to help the man bring his wife to shore.
As they unbuckled her buoyancy compensator vest and get her tank off, the woman was still unconscious.
“He was distraught,” Kathy Kingen said of the husband.
Then scary went to dangerous when the woman turned blue. She had stopped breathing.
The Kingens and Boden began CPR on her. Meanwhile, restaurant patrons, including a doctor and a CPR instructor, saw what was happening and came to help. While Kathy Kingen cleared the woman’s airway, the doctor started chest compressions. Another person held the victim’s head.
After a couple of rounds of breathing and compressing her chest, the woman was revived and was taken by paramedics to St. Francis Hospital, where she apparently fully recovered.
“She got really great assistance really quickly,” Kathy said.
Boden, after helping revive the woman, went back to work. Several people commented on her efforts.
“’Anybody would have done it,’” Boden said she told guests.
For Boden, this was the second time she aided in a water rescue.
Terry Merritt of Auburn drowned May 11, 2005 on the other side of Salty’s. He was with his wife when he signaled he needed to surface. According to fire and rescue officials, Merritt wasn’t there when she surfaced. She found him underwater and brought him to shore. Efforts to revive him were unsuccessful.
After the woman went to the hospital in the April 23 rescue, Kingen went home and pulled out all of her scuba books and read about accident situations to try to determine what happened. As near as she can tell, the woman panicked and then hyperventilated. It’s a situation any diver can get themselves into, Kingen said.
Kingen said the woman’s husband called a few days later to say his wife was doing well and to thank Kingen and the others.
“He was very grateful for all the help,” Kingen said.
And the miracle.

2:35 PM - 5/7/2006

Deaf and dumb boy country's youngest scuba diver

Port Blair: A 13-year old deaf and dumb boy from Andaman and Nicobar islands has become the country's youngest scuba diver. (in India)

Gaurav Baidya became the youngest scuba diver when he received the Pacific Area Diving Institute (PADI) certificate, the international scuba body certificate, after successfully demonstrating all skills required to become a 'PADI' open water scuba diver.

Gaurav was given the PADI certificate by S R Mehta, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest and Environment and Forest Secretary of A and N administration at a valedictory function yesterday.

Source India News

8:10 PM - 3/24/2006

Curious machine

What is it? A car? A boat? A submarine? The answer is: all three! Welcome to the twin-seat Amfibidiver.

The machine was created by a self-taught Belgian engineer, René Baldewijns. It was constructed through the imaginative use of such items as a sailing-boat hull, the fuel tank of a plane, two bicycles and motors from five electric wheelchairs.

The Amfibidiver has apparently been tested and functions in all its stated roles. It has featured at several Belgian boat shows and on Belgian TV, but it may now find a home at Britain's pending Land, Air and Sea Museum.

The museum's founder, Douglas Hilton, is still finalising a site to house a range of curious machinery, including hovercraft, submarines, flying cars, and amphibious cars and planes. But he has launched a website giving details about the project and planned exhibits - including the Amfibidiver.

Source

6:31 AM - 2/13/2006

Survived after 75 hours in the water

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (8 Feb 2006) -- The police say it is a testament to Robert Hewitt's skills as a former navy diver that he was able to survive three days in the water off Mana Island, near Wellington.

They say Mr Hewitt survived by eating kina and crayfish he caught before he got into trouble.

The 38-year old, the brother of former All Black Norm Hewitt, failed to surface after a dive off the island on Sunday. He was found dehydrated but conscious shortly after 4pm on Wednesday, about 300m off the northeastern tip of the island and near where he was last seen.

Police first spotted a wetsuit hood in the water and found Mr Hewitt floating nearby soon after.

Kapiti Area Police Commander John Spence says in his 29-year career, finding Mr Hewitt is the highlight.

Miracle, say police

"Miracles do happen; on this occasion it has," Inspector Spence said. Surviving three days in the conditions, especially the third day - "which was very cold, very windy, very choppy, very uncomfortable" - was miraculous.

Inspector Spence says being present when Mr Hewitt arrived on shore is something he won't forget for a very long time.

A police spokesperson, Kaye Calder, says Mr Hewitt, who was taken to hospital to be treated for hypothermia, kept a calm head during his ordeal. She says his stamina and experience, as well as his ability to maintain a clear head, helped him survive.

Ms Calder says Mr Hewitt was very tired, but spoke briefly to his fiancee by phone before being taken ashore.

Police described him as cold but lucid, and said he managed to talk non-stop once on board the police launch.

Norm Hewitt, speaking at a police news conference after the rescue, said it was as if his brother had been returned by the Gods.

Inspector Spence says there will be a de-brief in a couple of days to find out exactly what happened, and he hopes Mr Hewitt will attend.

Source

3:10 PM - 2/8/2006

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