Underwater Search and Recovery Unit

True or False: Ice that is 3 inches in thickness, is safe to walk on. The right answer is false. Both the type and thickness of ice should be considered prior to venturing out onto the ice.  Ice should be at least 4” inches or 10 cm in thickness in order to safely walk and should appear clear, blue or green.  Black ice or white ice should always be considered suspect.

The Ottawa Police Underwater Search and Recovery Unit is responsible for providing assistance to all divisions of the Ottawa Police Service in a timely manner. The priorities are to search for missing or drowned individuals in area lakes, quarries and rivers using either S.C.U.B.A and Surface Supply Diving techniques in compliance with provincial and federal diving regulations as well as Ottawa Police Service policies and procedures.Provide forensic diving techniques to recover human remains, vehicles and discarded weapons. When not engaged in diving operations and training, members are assigned to the Marine Unit to provide frontline waterway policing.

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