from FirefighterNation
Lake Assault Boats has placed Fireboat 96 into service with the San Bernardino County Fire District (SBCFD) in California. The 28-foot long vessel serves on California’s Big Bear Lake, and is similar to one stationed on the Colorado River. (The massive Apple Fire is seen on the horizon. Photo courtesy of SBCFD’s Johnathan Duarte.)
SUPERIOR, WI—Lake Assault Boats, a manufacturer of purpose-built and mission-specific fire and rescue boats, has delivered its third fire and rescue boat to the San Bernardino County (CA) Fire District (SBCFD). The 28-foot long vessel is serving on California’s Big Bear Lake and is similar to one stationed in Needles, California, on the Colorado River.
“We’re thrilled to deliver and place into service a third fire and rescue craft to the San Bernardino County Fire District,” said Chad DuMars, Lake Assault Boats vice president of operations. “Like our other Lake Assault Boats units in service with SBCFD, this new craft is equipped to handle a wide range of emergency scenarios, and is outfitted with particular features for a high altitude lake.”
Big Bear Lake is situated at over 6,700 feet above sea level. “Because of Big Bear’s elevation, we’ve added a fully-enclosed pilothouse and a reinforced hull that will enable us to push through ice in emergency situations,” explained Brian Wells, an SBCFD Engineer. “This new craft has all of the capabilities of our other Lake Assault Boats vessels that are performing at a very high level.”
The fireboat is outfitted with twin 350-hp Mercury Verado outboard engines controlled through the one-touch Skyhook Digital Anchor and Joystick Piloting systems. A 1,500-gpm Darley pump (powered by a dedicated V8 engine) along with a TFT monitor and three discharge ports comprise the heart of its firefighting capabilities. A 63-inch hydraulically operated bow door (with an integrated ladder), dual dive doors, a davit crane with twin socket locations, and a fully enclosed pilothouse provide protection from the elements.
The onboard electronics include dual 12-inch touchscreens mounted on the dash, Garmin radar and sonar with SideVu and DownVu, chart plotting, and a forward looking infrared (FLIR) system. Lake Assault Boats provided three days of on-the-water orientation ahead of the boats being put into service.
“Lake Assault Boats is our vendor of choice and we’re very pleased with the design, build quality, and support we receive from their entire team,” added Wells. “We continue to refine the specs to meet the growing needs of our department’s on-the-water response capabilities in San Bernardino County.”
For more information, visit www.lakeassault.com.