Underwater Robot Will Help Recover Mississippi River Drowning Victims

An underwater robot will soon help rescue teams in Minnesota’s Winona County locate drowning victims.

Winona County Sheriff David Brand said he hopes he never has to use the new robot, but acknowledged that it’s inevitable, since every year there are drownings in the Mississippi River and in other area waters.

Winona County received a Department of Homeland Security grant to pay for most of the $146,000 underwater robot and camera. Brand said the rest of the money was donated by community members and families of drowning victims.

“It’s important if we do not save the life, at least we can do a recovery and bring the person back home for proper burial,” said Brand. “That means a lot to all of us, to the families, and to our dive rescue team as the one who’s going to be operating it.”

Winona County has mutual aid agreements with some Wisconsin counties, and will respond to drownings in Monroe and Trempealeau counties.

La Crosse Fire Department Capt. Travis George is the Water Rescue Team leader. He said the city may reach out to use Winona County’s robot at some point, and that his department could benefit from the same technology so it could respond to emergencies faster.

“The need to still put a diver underwater is important,” George said. “However, technology is still quite expensive yet with technology we’ll have better results and quicker results. So hopefully that can reach the La Crosse Fire Department sometime in the future.”

The fire department works closely with the volunteer La Crosse Dive Unit. Leader Shawn Mahoney said Winona’s equipment could be an asset in backwaters and lakes, but may be difficult to use in the Mississippi River’s main channel.