Lake of the Ozarks First responders practice with sonar technology

OSAGE BEACH, Mo. (KY3) - First responders at Lake of the Ozarks already have sonar technology on their boats, but during a Wednesday morning training, first responders got to practice with it.

”A side-scan sonar system, which is an acoustic imaging device, which means it uses sound instead of light to see. So the clarity of the water doesn’t matter,” said Regan Lipinski.

Lipinski is from Virginia. He works for a company brought in to help train first responders. Deputy Chief Mark Amsinger with the Mid-County Fire Protection District says while it is not new, it takes practice.

”It just takes time and practice to be really proficient with it,” said Deputy Chief Amsinger.

First responders did find two boats under the water.

”During training, you often find things that you weren’t expecting to find, everything from sunken boats and cars, which you would think to find to victims drowning victims that you wouldn’t know were there,“ said Lipinski.

”It’s a safety thing. We’re trying to make a recovery. We narrowed down the area we’re looking at,” said Deputy Chief Amsinger.

Lipinski has been all over the world training with this technology.

”Almost every day. Last night I assisted over the phone with an agency locating a body. But yeah, that’s pretty much my entire job as tech support and training, and so we assist agencies on a daily basis that are out finding victims,” said Lipinski.

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