1 | Client Snapshot
| Organization | Ohio County Emergency Management Agency (Wheeling, West Virginia, USA) |
| Sector | Public Safety / Swift‑Water Rescue |
| Equipment Donor | WVU Medicine – Wheeling Hospital & Reynolds Memorial Hospital |
| ROV Deployed | FIFISH V6 EXPERT |
2 | Operational Context
Catalyst for Upgrade – Severe flooding on 14 June 2025 triggered multiple water rescues in Wheeling.
Donation Event – On 9 July 2025, WVU Medicine donated the county’s first underwater drone to the EMA (WTOV).
Primary Mission – Support the county Swift‑Water Team in:
Locating drowning victims in creeks & rivers
Recovering weapons or other evidence for law enforcement investigations
Rapid situational assessment before deploying human rescuers (WTOV)
3 | Why FIFISH V6 EXPERT
| Capability | Relevance to EMA Operations |
|---|---|
| Six‑thruster, 360 ° omnidirectional maneuverability | Maintains stable control in fast‑moving, debris‑laden water |
| 100 m (328 ft) depth rating | Exceeds local river depths; ample margin for dam & bridge searches |
| 330 ft (100m) rugged tether supplied with donation | Allows surface teams to keep the ROV online in turbid water |
| Optional grabber/tool interface | Enables the retrieval of firearms, knives, or other critical evidence without diver entry |
4 | Deployment Workflow
Rapid Launch – Two‑person crew lowers V6 Expert from riverbank/boat; tether reel secured topside.
Visual Search – 4 K camera plus lights penetrate murky water; operators scan for shapes or reflections.
Evidence Retrieval – If an item is located, the claw attachment grasps and returns it while preserving the chain of custody.
Post‑event Review – Recorded 4 K footage is archived for investigation and training.
5 | Early Outcomes
| Metric | Before ROV | After ROV Deployment |
|---|---|---|
| Responder Risk | Swift‑water divers are required for the initial search | Drone performs first‑pass sweep; divers enter only if necessary |
| Search Speed | Visual sweep limited by water clarity; multiple dive rotations | A single ROV sortie provides immediate situational awareness |
| Evidence Handling | Manual recovery; higher contamination risk | Remote claw retrieval maintains evidence integrity |
EMA Director Lou Vargo:
“If we see something, it’s safer to send the drone first… the commander can then decide if a rescuer needs to enter.” (WTOV)
Key Takeaway
The FIFISH V6 EXPERT delivers big‑agency underwater capability to a county‑level rescue team, enhancing safety, shortening mission times, and adding a new tool for law‑enforcement evidence recovery, all for roughly the cost of a single traditional swift‑water dive operation.
