Strathmore Fire Department’s Water Rescue Mannequin, ‘Bob’, Goes Missing
Affectionately known as ‘Bob,’ the mannequin joined the Strathmore Fire Department’s ranks this year and quickly became an integral part of their water rescue training program. However, on Wednesday, during a routine training exercise on Strathmore Lake, Bob mysteriously vanished.
Fire Chief David Sturgeon described Bob as a specially designed training aid: ‘We were doing our yearly water rescue training with him for a couple days. The crew that was out yesterday morning was doing some boat rescues. They turned around and he was gone.’
Sturgeon expressed frustration over the incident, highlighting that ‘Bob is supposed to float from the shoulders up so obviously something malfunctioned.’ He explained that Bob is constructed with water pockets for buoyancy, ensuring that he remains afloat, even when submerged.
The Strathmore Fire Department has launched a search operation to locate Bob, with a diver dispatched on Thursday morning to scour the depths of Strathmore Lake. However, the search proved challenging due to the murky water conditions caused by recent rainfall.
Chief Sturgeon remained optimistic, stating that the department will wait for clearer weather and calmer waters before resuming the search. In the meantime, the Strathmore Fire Department has appealed to the public for assistance, urging anyone who spots ‘a suspiciously relaxed mannequin taking an unscheduled break’ to contact them.
The department issued a tongue-in-cheek social media post announcing Bob’s disappearance, reminding people to always wear life jackets on the water and adding, ‘Also, we lost our dummy, Bob.’
Despite the lighthearted tone, the department emphasized the importance of Bob’s recovery, as he is an essential training tool. The search continues, and the Strathmore Fire Department remains hopeful that Bob will be found and returned to duty.