Friday, May 19, 2000
New bomb unit recruit is fearless, mechanical
By William A. Weathers
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Fire Captain Chris Miller watches the bomb squad's new robot navigate a staircase.
(Glenn Hartong photo)
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The newest addition to the Cincinnati Fire Division's bomb unit weighs 350 pounds and has no fear of suspicious packages.
The bomb unit introduced in newest member Thursday. It's a $113,000 steel mechanical robot whose official model name is Andros Mark VI-A1.
“It's good for us when we're doing something like a suspicious package,” Capt. Chris Miller, bomb unit commander said Thursday. “I don't have to send one of my guys down and pick up a package. With Andros there, if something goes off everybody goes home (safely), and we send the machine back for repairs. It's pretty durable.”
Three eyes and a hand
The robot has three cameras and a grasping hand, tires and tank type treads, and can be operated from a remote location via a 1,000-foot fiber optic cable.
Now, in most cases the robot — rather that a firefighter bomb technician, will be the first to approach a suspicious package that may be a bomb.
“It's definitely a lot safer,” Capt. Miller said. “We've been trying to get it for years.”
The robot's basic function is to go places that are hazardous for humans. In addition to examining potential explosive devices it can be used to enter an area where there a possible gas leak or hazardous chemical spill, Capt. Mill er explained.
In the past year, firefighters have responded to several anthrax scares at clinics, Capt. Miller said.
“This (type of incident) would be an excellent opportunity to use this,” he said.
Checking a plane
The robot could also be directed onto an airplane where it can check for suspicious packages under the seats or in the overhead bins, Capt. Miller said.
Several members of the 15-member bomb unit, including firefighter Bob Von Hoene, have taken a 20-hour training and maintenance course to learn how to operate the robot.
Recently, Firefighter Von Hoene was the person who donned a bomb suit, approached and X-rayed a suspicious package left at the Northside Bank & Trust in Northside by a robber.
First to go
With the acquisition of the robot, the machine would be sent in first in a similar situation, Capt. Miller said.
The bomb unit has had 44 runs so far this year involving possible explosive devices, about a third of which turned out to some type of explosive material. There have been no injuries to bomb unit personnel.
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