Sault police unveil mobile command unit that played key role in rescue of missing girl

Following a recent high-profile missing persons search, the Sault Ste. Marie Police emergency services unit is demonstrating how community partnerships played a role in the rescue.

Joining Sault police in the search for the missing girl were the Ontario Provincial Police and Sault Search & Rescue.

Police spokesperson Lincoln Louttit said finding the missing girl was an all-hands-on-deck operation, involving various groups. It was also the first time a new piece of equipment was utilized.

"We are unveiling our mobile command unit, this is the first time it's been publicly unveiled," said Louttit.

"It was a critical piece of equipment that we did use over the weekend for that search of the 11-year-old that went missing. Additional items (include) our ATVs, and obviously some of our members are specially trained to utilize the ATVs in difficult terrain. We also have our drone and some of our operators that use that type of equipment."

Sault Search & Rescue also played a valuable role in the search.

"Trading data back and forth from our GPS, for example, as a way to show where our people have been and what we've done so that they can put that in their database and mark it on a map," said search master Stephen Rouleau.

"We also brought a boat out so we were able to drop into the lake and do a shoreline crawl. So, it all works out working together."

Rouleau said Sault Search & Rescue is run by volunteers and is dependent on fundraising. He said the group is always looking for volunteers and encourages anyone who is interested to reach out. 

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