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(NewsDakota.com) – Between fundraising efforts and grant funds, enough money has been raised to purchase a remote operated underwater vehicle for the Jamestown Fire Department and Jamestown Water Rescue Team.

Grant funds make up the bulk of the money for the ROV, but Jamestown fire chief Jim Reuther says donations and fundraising efforts organized by Leann Buckley totaled about $27,000.


Buckley’s longtime partner Darrin Ackerman drowned in the Jamestown Reservoir while ice fishing in December, and it took authorities eight days to find his body under the ice and provide the family closure. An ROV from the Fargo area was used to locate Ackerman’s body after several dive attempts were unsuccessful.

Buckley helped organize a large fundraiser at the Jamestown Civic Center in April to raise funds for a local ROV. She has said she wants to help speed up the process for anyone faced with the situation in the future.

Reuther told the Jamestown Fire Committee on Thursday that this will be just the second ROV in North Dakota. The only other one is used by the Valley Water Rescue team based near Fargo. Reuther and members of the committee extended many thanks to Buckley and family and friends of Ackerman for helping to make the acquisition of an ROV possible.