Handheld Underwater Metal Detector Assessment Report For Emergency Responders

[Steve Herschbach]

Handheld Underwater Metal Detectors Assessment Report - February 2014

FOREWORD

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) established the System Assessment and Validation for Emergency Responders (SAVER) Program to assist emergency responders making procurement decisions. Located within the Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) of DHS, the SAVER Program conducts objective assessments and validations on commercially available equipment and systems, and develops knowledge products that provide relevant equipment information to the emergency responder community. The SAVER Program mission
includes:

• Conducting impartial, practitioner-relevant, operationally oriented assessments and validations of emergency response equipment; and
• Providing information, in the form of knowledge products, that enables decision-makers and responders to better select, procure, use, and maintain emergency response equipment.

SAVER Program knowledge products provide information on equipment that falls under the categories listed in the DHS Authorized Equipment List (AEL), focusing primarily on two main questions for the responder community: “What equipment is available?” and “How does it perform?” These knowledge products are shared nationally with the responder community, providing a life- and cost-saving asset to DHS, as well as to Federal, state, and local responders.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Handheld underwater metal detectors assist public safety divers with locating metallic objects underwater by providing visual, audible, and/or vibration alerts when these objects are detected. In August 2013, the System Assessment and Validation for Emergency Responders (SAVER) Program conducted an operationally oriented assessment of handheld underwater metal detectors. Eight handheld underwater metal detectors were assessed by public safety divers. The criteria and scenarios used in this assessment were derived from the results of a focus group of public safety divers with experience using handheld underwater metal detectors. The assessment addressed 18 evaluation criteria in four SAVER categories: Capability, Deployability, Maintainability, and Usability.

MODELS EVALUATED

JW Fishers Mfg. Inc. – Pulse 8X
Garrett Electronics Inc. – Sea Hunter™ Mark II
Fisher® Research Labs – CZ-21 QuickSilver
Aquascan International Ltd. – Aquapulse 1B
Minelab Americas Inc. – Excalibur II
Tesoro Electronics Inc. – Tiger Shark
White’s Electronics Inc. – Surf PI Dual Field
Kellyco Metal Detectors – Viper Hybrid Trident

Download the full pdf report here

[fredmason]

My God, how to waste thousands of dollars...why didn't they just ask Steve?

40 pages and a formula...you simply must up your game, Steve. Just kidding

fred