It's amazing what one good dog can accomplish. Thanks to the Bear Search and Rescue Foundation, a nonprofit organization begun and named after the world's most decorated rescue canine, volunteer rescuers throughout the New York City area will soon have access to a small fleet of new and rebuilt boats for search and rescue work.

The Bear Foundation is also preparing to train a crew of US Coast Guard Auxiliary (USCGAUX) and Fire Department of New York (FDNY) volunteers to use a sophisticated underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV). Both the ROV and its crew will be available for deployment nationwide for underwater searches and recoveries.

Many of those who answer the call to help in their local communities and around the world do so on their own budgets. They do not ask for public fanfare or monetary reimbursement. They do this job because they love it. Inspired by the accomplishments and sacrifices of world-famous rescue dog Bear after the 9/11 attacks, the Bear Foundation was created to pay for training and equipping search and rescue teams in New York City and around the world.

Working with several major corporate donors at both the Miami and New York Boat Shows & thanks mostly to the National Marine Manufacturers Association, as well as the Maritime Security Expo in New York City, the Foundation director, Capt. Scott Shields, secured the new boats and ROV for use in training and actual rescue operations.

Giving Something Back

SeaStrike Boats of Ft Lauderdale, Florida has donated their 24 foot award winning center-console vessel, which will be equipped with a pair of donated motors, a suite of Furuno electronics, and a rescue door. The SeaStrike 24-foot CC has been chosen as Boating Magazine's "Boat of the Year".

SeaStrike is also negotiating with the Foundation to sponsor a traveling "Marine Rescue School" oriented toward medical extrication and transportation of those injured during marine accidents. These services will be offered free of charge to any type of marine rescue unit by some of the leading professionals in the country.

"It's the responsibility of those that profit from the marine trades to assist in making the boating public safe on the water, and what better way than to offer some of the best marine rescue training free to those charged with the safety of the boating public," says Tom Thies, President of SeaStrike. Thies calls this the "Paul Newman theory of doing business: if you're going to profit, give some of it back".

Boating Magazine's Boat of the Year
24 Ft SeaStrike Center Consol

Just in Time

For a smaller, portable vessel, Aquascan, of Ft Lauderdale, Florida, has donated a ten foot rigid hull inflatable. Aquascan is one of the world's leading makers of custom inflatable boats and is a pioneer in their use and construction. Donna Cantwell of MaritimeSolutions Inc., of Freeport, NY, has arranged the donation of an engine for this vessel.

Over the next few months, volunteers will be outfitting all three boats as top of the line search and rescue craft. Once fully equipped, the vessels will be made available to volunteer rescue groups throughout the New York City area.

Some of the new boats may be ready in time for the Foundation's annual Mass Casualty Marine Rescue Course, the largest training event of its kind in the nation. This will be the eighth year Capt. Shields has run this course, and the third year it has been under the umbrella of the Bear Foundation. This year's training scenario will be "The Five Hundred year Flood".

The AquaScan 10-foot Rigid Hull Inflatable boat

Going Deep

Besides the boats, the Foundation is also preparing to receive a donated ROV from Italian manufacturer Electronica Enne. The ROV, which requires a specially trained crew to operate it, includes underwater video cameras, a manipulating arm, and a propulsion and buoyancy system that allows it to move freely in three dimensions.

ROVs are increasingly being used by professional search and rescue organizations to carry out underwater searches. ROVs can tolerate greater depths than divers, and can spend unlimited time underwater, making them very useful for the search phase of an underwater recovery. Unfortunately, ROVs are expensive - the one the Foundation is receiving is valued at over $60,000 - and require considerable training to operate.

The Foundation will be training a crew of volunteer operators for the new ROV, and will make the crew and the ROV available together for deployment nationwide. Volunteers from USCGAUX and FDNY plan to participate in this project.

The Electronica Enne submersible Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV)

For more information on the Bear Search and Rescue Foundation go to www.bearsearchandrescue.org or call Capt. Scott Shields at (732) 713-6298.