As any person in the emergency services field knows, time is always of the essence...especially in areas such as search and rescue. Unfortunately, sometimes conditions are unsafe for rescuers to search for injured persons and sometimes it is physically impossible for rescuers (or search animals) to comb through wreckage to find the injured. And when they are in need of emergency medical help, they don't have hours or days for someone to find them.
Because of this, a team of
engineers at North Carolina State University have come up with a solution...and a very unlikely hero! They have determined that cockroaches (yes, cockroaches) could have the ability to assist in the saving of many lives in rescue missions.
By outfitting the cockroach with a computer chip (much like a backpack) engineers are able to control the movement of the insect through electrical pulses via a
computer. Combine that with the ability to add a small camera and rescuers are able to quickly look through wreckage and rubble for survivors. A small microphone can also be added to the chip, which would allow rescuers to communicate with survivors when they were found.
Doug Nakama of the
San Diego Fire Department said, "Time is critical. The golden hour for victims is critical for the survivability rate. The roaches could prove important if they can reach areas search dogs and cameras cannot."
To answer the question, "why cockroaches?"...the engineers determined that it was significantly more cost efficient to utilize the insects than it would be to attempt to build a robot that had the size and maneuverability of a cockroach.
Check out the following video to see these cockroaches in action...
Cyborg Cockroaches: The Future of Search and... by NewsyVideos
Those who work in the search and rescue field will tell you that training does not equate to real-world experience. Learning how to descend and retrieve an injured person at a drill tower does not bear the same risks and adrenaline as doing so in a ravine. Because of this, it is important to have hands on search and rescue training on location, and not just at your training facility.
By outfitting the cockroach with a computer chip (much like a backpack) engineers are able to control the movement of the insect through electrical pulses via a computer. Combine that with the ability to add a small camera and rescuers are able to quickly look through wreckage and rubble for survivors. A small microphone can also be added to the chip, which would allow rescuers to communicate with survivors when they were found. 
Although not all fire and rescue departments have waterways to worry about, there are several who have rivers and lakes within their department's districts. When it comes to buying, many departments look towards RIB boats. RIBs, sometimes known as rigid inflatable boats, rare powerboats fitted with inflatable collars or tubes. As well as excellent fendering, this makes RIBs almost unsinkable and suitable for use in all sorts of conditions. RIBs are some of the most versatile boats available and are used as rescue boats by the RNLI and as patrol boats by the military.
January 14th and 15th, 2012 will be the 25th Annual Pittsburgh Fire Rescue & EMS Expo. The expo is going to be held at the Monroeville Convention Center. The Pittsburgh Fire Rescue & EMS Expo is one of the nation’s largest and
best attended trade shows for firefighters, paramedics, EMTs and other emergency
services personnel. The expo brings over 200 of the nation’s finest companies together to showcase
thousands of products and services.
