Making a recovery underwater is a daunting task that often requires out of state expertise. That’s going to change now that the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is geared up to do it all on their own with a brand new remote operated vehicle.
Keith Cormican, a man who's behind some incredible discoveries in Lake Tahoe is teaching them how it's done.
Cormican is the founder of Bruce’s Legacy, a nonprofit named in honor of his brother, which specializes in underwater search and recovery efforts. His company is responsible for recently finding two bodies in Fallen Leaf Lake. As well as the bodies of missing kayaker Dan Pham, and Nevada football player Marc Ma in Lake Tahoe.
"We just see firsthand what it does for the families to be able to find their loved ones so that's what drives us,” said Cormican.
Cormican is taking his knowledge and expertise and sharing it with Douglas County deputies so they too can help bring closure to families.
On Thursday, the sheriff's office got their first hands on experience with their new underwater tool, starting things off simple in the Carson Valley Swim Center.
"How to make it come up, go down, left, right, all that stuff, just started grabbing objects underwater as well to learn how to use that manipulator arm,” said Deputy Ron Skibinski.
Once they deputies become comfortable with the controls, their team will be responsible for guiding northern Nevada law enforcement's first ROV in Lake Tahoe.
"The sonar on this is way more powerful than what is on our boat,” said Skibinski. “We also now have another view where we're looking straight forward, which is going to open up our vision as well."
Now that they'll have eyes beneath the Tahoe shores, they intend on sharing the wealth with other agencies in the basin as well.
“If they need assistance with a search or a recovery, we're going to go and help those guys out," said Skibinski.
In the event that they have to make a recovery this summer, they hope to begin deploying this unit in the coming months.
