County bomb task force utilizes Segway
Published 0000-00-00
County bomb task force utilizes Segway
BY ELLEN HOLLAND -- SEPTEMBER 21, 2007, Atascadero News
The Segway, a self-balancing personal transportation device with two wheels that can operate in a pedestrian environment, is an efficient way to get a bomb technician to the scene of an incident, SLO County Bomb Task Force commander Lt. Jim Mulhall said.
When the bomb squad responds to an incident a mobile command post is established at a safe distance. This means bomb technicians, wearing protective gear and carrying tools and equipment, must travel to get to the location of a suspected bomb and then spend time on the sequence of disarming and removal
“When a bomb squad member puts on a bomb suit it’s a very heavy piece of equipment,” Mulhall said, noting the suit can weigh as much as 80 pounds.
In certain cases the technician also has to wear a chemically protective suit and oxygen tank.
“[Traveling to a bomb’s location] is a very exhaustive procedure on the bomb technician,” Mulhall said.
“By the time they get there, they’re not only tired from the weight but it’s very hot,” said Nora McKie, vice president of operations for SLO-based Segway by the Bay.
The county’s bomb squad was seeking a way to ensure technicians did not exhaust themselves or their oxygen supply and looked toward the sheriff’s bomb squad in Ventura County. According to Mulhall, Ventura County, along with other bomb squads throughout the nation, has been utilizing Segways for a number of years.
Members from the county’s bomb squad then went to Ventura to see how Segways were being used and were told the devices had given them minimal problems, Mulhall said.
The device was purchased through grant fund money designed for public safety in response to potential terrorist activities and Mulhall, along with three other members of the bomb task force, Senior Deputy J.D. Cronin and Deputy David Walker of the sheriff’s department and Officer Cathy Bianchi of the SLO Police department, completed training in its operation.
“The advantage of the Segway is its size, which can be easily transported,” Mulhall said.
Additional benefits of the Segway include the fact that it requires minimal training time and is low maintenance as it uses an electric motor and rechargeable battery, he said. The initial cost of the Segway was also low compared to obtaining a large transport vehicle.
The Segway purchased by the county’s bomb squad was made especially for law enforcement use and has the ability to carry equipment and tools that were previously carried by a technician or pulled on cart.
“The bomb technician is able to deploy quickly, get down and solve the problem and get the area up and running again,” Mulhall said.
According to Mulhall, the Segway is also put to good use for incidents that could take place at major events such as a farmer’s market, as it is able to travel down narrow streets and on sidewalks where a vehicle could not.
“In high density situations or major events the Segway is the perfect way to get help in there quickly,” Mulhall said.
According to McKie police departments also use Segways.
“It gives them great mobility,” she said. “People notice them and it’s much friendlier for the public. I think it’s a great [public relations] tool.”
The SLO County Bomb Squad Task Force Segway will be on display at the annual Sheriff’s Family Day at the Ranch on Saturday, Sept. 22. The event, hosted by the SLO County Sheriff’s Advisory Council, will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the field area at the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo and also feature a number of other demonstrations.
