Southern Oregon Communities Receive Advanced Water Rescue Equipment

*Emergency Integrated Lifesaving Lanyard — E.M.I.L.Y.*

Grants Pass, Oregon- Two Oregon fire agencies have received new life-saving water rescue equipment through the State Preparedness and Incident Response Equipment (SPIRE) grant program, the Oregon Department of Emergency Management announced.

The City of Grants Pass Fire Rescue and Douglas County Fire District No. 2 each received an Emergency Integrated Lifesaving Lanyard — or E.M.I.L.Y. — a compact, remote-controlled device designed to aid in swift water rescues. The battery-powered system can travel through fast-moving currents and deliver flotation support directly to people in distress.

“We are excited to have received our Emergency Integrated Lifesaving Lanyard (E.M.I.L.Y.) devices through the SPIRE grant program,” said Joseph Hyatt of Grants Pass Fire Rescue. “This device will provide rescuers with a much-needed tool to mitigate water rescue incidents safely and successfully.”

Douglas County Fire District No. 2 Fire Chief Rob Bullock echoed that sentiment.

“On behalf of Central Douglas County Fire & Rescue, and the constituents we serve, we are thankful to have been recipients of E.M.I.L.Y.,” Bullock said. “We quickly realized the benefits and life-saving ability this will bring to our response area, ultimately aiding in a high success for survivability to the people that call for our aid. Deployment is quick, it’s effective and practical, and was immediately implemented into our response package.”

The E.M.I.L.Y. devices were delivered in May as part of the SPIRE program, which helps Oregon communities enhance emergency response capacity by providing critical technology and tools to first responders. The grant is one of several initiatives focused on strengthening disaster preparedness statewide.

The public can explore Oregon’s emergency equipment network on the SPIRE Hub — a digital platform that maps SPIRE-funded resources and supports coordination among agencies. The site, located at spire-geo.hub.arcgis.com, helps improve situational awareness and mutual aid capabilities across jurisdictions.