Emergency crews train with new sonar device in southern Indiana for search and rescue operations

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- More than half a dozen agencies from southern Indiana came together Thursday for training at Deam Lake, focused on a new piece of equipment -- a hand-held sonar device.

"We recently received a grant from the North Clark Healthcare Foundation. That's out of northern Clark County. It was a $5,000 community grant that we used to purchase a hand-held sonar device for underwater search and rescue," said Clark County Emergency Management Director Gavan Hebner.

Clark County Emergency Management led first responders on day of training on a hand-held sonar device at Deam Lake in Borden, Indiana. (WDRB Image) Jan. 4, 2024

The high tech equipment is being tested to help with search and rescue and recovery operations in Clark County.

According to Hebner, the AquaEye device uses sonar technology and artificial intelligence to help find people who may be in the water.

"It's a 180 degree range, it's about 20 feet depth, and it will shoot a beam out about two feet, and it will collect data," he explained.

Thursday's training included multiple trips back and forth from the shore at Deam Lake, taking crews into the water. One person would jump in while others stayed in the boat, testing out the sonar.

"Very good. Very, very good. Good job. This is amazingly good," said some on the boat ride.

Hebner said until now, Clark County Emergency Management has had to rely on Indiana State Police or the state's Department of Natural Resources for sonar operations. Now, this device can get that job started and narrow down a search area before a dive team arrives.

"We wanted to build a rapid response for hand-held sonar just to fill that gap before the dive team arrives on scene. That way local responders can start the search and rescue operations prior to a dive teams' arrival," Hebner said.

Amir Mousavi, chief of Tri-Township Fire Fire and Rescue, said emergency responders get called to the area every year for missing people and sometimes, that person may be in the water.

"Our job is not only to search and rescue people but sometimes it's to bring closure to the family or the loved ones that has a missing person," said Mousavi. "If it is unfortunate that that person has submerged and has passed away, recovering that body in a timely manner is also still important."

Mousavi was the first one to jump into the water, on a cloudy January day with temperatures not far from freezing, to participate in the training.

"Any time we're going into a hazardous condition such as cold water, it is dangerous. It's inevitably a dangerous job, and I don't want to ask my staff to do something that I cannot do myself," he said.

Mousavi stressed the importance of water safety and calling 911 quickly in emergency situations.

"[The sonar] is an important tool. It is going to help us do a lot better in serving our community. But ultimately prevention is the most important thing," he said.

The agencies taking part in the training included Clark County 911, Monroe Township Fire, Vincennes Township Fire, Charlestown Fire, Tri-Township Fire and Rescue, Clark County Emergency Management, the Clark County Sheriff's Office, Southern Indiana Search & Rescue, Floyd County Emergency Management Agency, and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

Hebner said Thursday's training would be the first of several with the sonar device.

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