EDMONDS – A fire-rescue boat will be back on the Edmonds waterfront thanks to a $200,000 Homeland Security grant obtained through the Federal Office of Domestic Preparedness.
The soonest the new, multi-mission vessel will be on the job is early 2006, Edmonds Fire Chief Tom Tomberg said.
The boat will be a joint operating venture of the Edmonds fire and police departments and the Port of Edmonds, where it will be berthed. Although owned and operated by the city, the vessel will be considered a Snohomish County asset available for dispatch to any water emergency, fire department officials said.
It’s been quite a few years since the city has had a fire-rescue boat, and the old one wasn’t as seaworthy as it should have been, Mayor Gary Haakenson said. Port work boats have been pinch-hitting as needed, officials said.
Tomberg said his department is ready to advertise for bids on an aluminum V-hull vessel of landing-craft design. The boat will be in the 28-foot range with a load capacity of 2,500 pounds and twin, gas-powered, 225-horsepower outboards able to reach speeds of 35 mph.
The enclosed pilothouse will be 8 to 10 feet long and 8 feet wide. The firefighting system will be capable of pumping 1,500 gallons of water per minute to multiple discharge valves.
Crews will be trained to operate the vessel; no new personnel will be hired, Tomberg said. Annual maintenance costs will be approximately $2,500, fire officials said.
Sue Waldburger is editor of the Edmonds Enterprise; 425-673-6525.
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