Nearly two years ago officer Tim Waite of the Ventura County Sheriff's Department saw an intriguing news segment about Segway Personal Transporters (HTs). He wondered if the self-balancing devices had unique capabilities that could benefit his department's bomb response team. Specifically, could a Segway PT safely and quickly transport a bomb tech in full gear in a standing position?

In a matter of weeks, the Bomb Response unit of the Ventura County Sheriff's Department purchased a new Segway PT e Series model and began exploring its capabilities.

Several months later, they acquired three additional Segway PT e Series models and began training their 10-man team on what would become their primary means of responding to explosive ordinances, WMDs and other HAZMAT situations. Bomb Squad commander Captain Miguel Colon spearheaded the effort.

"A primary goal of a bomb team tech is to spend a minimal amount of time within the target area," says Colon, "and we thought that the Segway PT would help us achieve that goal." Colon and his team started to explore their bomb response process by asking the following questions:

• What kind of WMD will we face? Chemical? Biological? Radiological?
• How do we travel within the target area and work on the device while wearing 80 pounds of equipment?
• How do we get to a device, conduct our work, and get out of the area using an air pack that has only 20 minutes worth of oxygen?

At the time, the only transportation that Colon's team had to respond to these situations was a golf cart or a utility vehicle. That equipment was not only difficult to transport, but it was also difficult to maneuver and required the operator to sit down.

"The Segway gave us more advantages and more versatility," says Colon. "Because they are lightweight and easy to store, you can carry more than one Segway in a van or bomb truck. We also liked the fact that the Segway does not give off any emissions or burn any gasoline. When we respond to a WMD, we have to set up a perimeter of at least 1,100 yards, and then establish a decontamination zone of an additional 1,100 yards. So, that's a long way to walk just to get to the device, and there's no way you could do it in a bomb suit."

During testing, Colon's bomb techs drove the Segway PT e Series for 11 miles just to see how long a battery would take them on a single charge.

"For nearly a year we really put the Segway PTs through the mill," says Colon. "We tested them in real world conditions, and even brought them to an indoor skateboard park and tested them going up and down and across the ramps, both with and without the bomb suit."

"We also conducted a series of response scenarios comparing how long it would take us to get there on foot and how much oxygen that expended, compared with getting there on a Segway PT and how much oxygen that expended.

"It is very important that all of our bomb techs are trained to operate the Segway PTs and experienced in their use. So far they've found it easy learn to ride, and reliable even under extreme conditions. We think it can be a very valuable tool."

"The FBI requires 40 hours of bomb related or HAZMAT training, and, in addition, we have 16 hours of specialized training every month to keep our skills sharp. Recently, we trained for a HAZMAT situation with the fire department. In the decontamination phase of the drill and we drove the Segway PT into a plastic pool and drenched it to decontaminate it. We then drove it right out of the pool. It worked fine. It's an impressive machine."

The Segway PT is listed on the Department of Homeland Security's grant approved equipment list. To arrange a Segway PT demonstration for your police force, please phone 1-866-4SEGWAY or contact us here for more information.