Rovers Search and Rescue has unveiled a new piece of equipment that they say will significantly improve their response times in getting people to safety.

The new helicopter highline rescue system allows teams to rappel down to otherwise hard-to-reach areas and transport people to safety.

President Harry Blackmore says the system can carry up to five people, with a weight limit of 1,100 pounds.

He says that could mean four first responders and a person strapped to a backboard, or two rescuers and two others strapped into harnesses.

Blackmore says the equipment will be used by rescue teams all across the province and calls it a “game changer.”

He estimates that the system will reduce the work of search and rescue teams by about 25 percent. He says if the person can be spotted with the helicopter, a rescue that would normally take 15 hours can now be completed in two.

Currently, two ground search and rescue teams have been trained to use the equipment, with another five scheduled for training.