MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) – The Midland Police Department gave us a look at the Bomb Squad’s mission and its role within the community, as well as how the community is stepping in to lend a helping hand.

“Bomb squads are kind of a misnomer. We deal with any kind of hazardous threats. So it’s not just bombs, we can deal with radiological threats, we can deal with a nuclear biological threat, chemical threats, and radiological threats. So our bomb squad, as far as bomb techs go, there are only 3,000 plus bomb techs in the whole United States. So, when you ask the importance of our bomb squad, a lot of people, what a lot of people don’t realize is we average two calls a month on anything from suspicious packages to actually explosives found,” said Assistant Chief Brian Rackow with the Midland Police Department.

Diamondback Energy recently donated a $22,000 Zues Remote Firing Device to the Midland Bomb Squad, replacing the 18-year-old radio-controlled system that was no longer working to the ability needed by first responders.

“This kit will enhance tactical and disposal operations for the Midland Bomb Squad with a 2.5-mile line-of-sight range, 10 Joule discharge capability, which allows us to know how many electric blasting caps can be initiated in one shot and AES encrypted two-way communication so there isn’t interference from stray signals. The Zeus device ensures optimal performance in high-noise radio frequency environments. This system’s evolution through federal law enforcement evaluations makes it the top choice for the Midland Bomb Squad’s critical missions of tactical operations and safe disposal of hazardous materials,” said Rackow in a release on Monday.

“We like to make a joke with a lot of people that this team is very easy to work with, we’re just not a cheap date. We’re very very expensive. One of our community partners that have very much been helpful with our law enforcement, donating money to the teams to help us get the equipment that we need to stay functional and all that,” continued Rackow.

“Diamondback is proud of our first responders’ work and thankful to have the opportunity to support them by purchasing much-needed equipment. These brave men and women who protect us every day deserve the best equipment to keep them and the citizens of the Permian Basin safe,” said Danny Wesson, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Diamondback Energy.

“I think it’s important for businesses and individuals in the community, that have the resources to support first responders, to get together to figure out how we can meet those needs. I think it’s very important for us, as a community, to have private-public partnerships to help promote the community forward,” said Wesson.