(SUPERIOR, Wis.) — Lake Assault Boats, a leading manufacturer of purpose-built and mission-specific fire and rescue boats, recently assisted the Superior, Wis., Fire Department in its response to a fire on an ore boat at Fraser Shipyards. At the time, a team from Lake Assault was in the final stages of testing the 28-foot fireboat destined for the city of Newburgh, N.Y. After its successful assist — by providing a water supply for the Superior FD — the craft was placed into service with the Newburgh Fire Department.
The fireboat protects large waterfront sections of the Hudson River north of New York City. “It’s pretty interesting that our Lake Assault fireboat helped put out a fire before it was even delivered,” said Ed Petricek, assistant fire chief with the Newburgh Fire Department, a 17-year veteran of the department and a member of the committee that helped equip the boat. “We first learned about Lake Assault at the New York Chiefs Show some years ago and, once we were awarded a FEMA port securities grant, we didn’t waste any time moving forward. Our firefighters are really excited to have this new Lake Assault fireboat; it has improved our on-the-water response capability, big time.”
The 28-foot fireboat is a landing-craft style hull configuration that features a hydraulically operated bow door, a fully-enclosed CBRNE-rated pilothouse (with HEPA filtration and positive pressure system), and twin Honda 250-hp outboard motors. The craft also sports a 2,000-gpm Darley fire pump, foam capabilities, and built-in hose storage compartments. The boat is equipped with a full array of electronics, including Garmin GPS, sonar, and a forward-looking infrared system (FLIR).
In a joint initiative, the Newburgh Fire Department also uses the boat to support the city’s police department. “If the police department needs to go on the water, we take them out on the Lake Assault craft,” said Petricek. “We equipped the boat with a police radio and other law enforcement equipment, enabling our city to efficiently consolidate its water response using the Lake Assault unit.”
