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Last updated 11:43 am CT September 02, 2010.
New Technology Helps Local Bomb Unit
"It's a good tool for us, and we'll have a lot of use for it."
The new "bomb disposal" robot can do a number of things when it responds to a situation...
"We can send it upstairs, we can look under vehicles with it, we can look over walls if we need to."
The robot has a total of four cameras, multiple lasers...and an extendable grabbing arm. But officers say at first, it isn't the easiest thing to use.
"A lot of buttons to push, you get confused on."
When responding to a dangerous situation, bomb squad officers hook the robot up to a surveillance computer, and navigate the device from a distance...which keeps the squad members relatively safe.
"It takes us out of the danger zone."
Sargent Bennie Vick says his unit is one of 11 FBI certified squads in the state--
But it's the only squad of it's kind south of Champaign...so the crew and it's new robot have a lot of area to respond to.
"We cover a large area, so it's beneficial to more than just SIU and Carbondale, it's beneficial to the whole area."
Vick adds, it was important for the bomb unit to add a piece of technology like this to it's crew, because weapons are becoming more advanced everyday.
"Bomb makers...they're getting smarter, and we have to stay up on that level with them."
By Andy Waterman
awaterman@wsiltv.com
Now: 1283451760
