A special election in Bremen on Thurs., June 7, will ask voters to approve the expenditure of $17,000 from the Fire Truck Reserve account to replace the outboard motor and update radar and electronics on the town’s fire rescue boat.
Selectman Hank Nevins said, May 31, the motor that came with the boat, 25 years ago, died during a training exercise earlier in the month.
The 1976 Boston Whaler lacks radar and a radio, needed to communicate with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and Marine Patrol.
“Last year we had three water rescues,” Nevins said. “We could only use the boat twice.” He said a boat belonging to a firefighter had to be used in the third instance in which a woman fell into the water at 2:30 a.m.
“It was so foggy.” Nevins said.
Bremen Fire Department Capt. Ken Vinal said that call to March Island, and another incident on a rainy night, would have been easier to handle if there had been radar equipment on the boat. He said the new equipment will include a plotter to ensure that firefighters know where they are on the water when visibility is low.
“This will update our boat,” Nevins said. “The equipment will be mobile for if we get a new boat.” The boat will be set up to accommodate a fire pump, to allow for pumping from shore, as well as Stokes basket stretchers for use in island rescues.
“We have also used it for search and rescue on ponds,” Nevins said. “In the summertime, we use it for everything.”
“We’re revamping it so that we can carry patients better,” Vinal said. He said the motor will be purchased and installed at D&M Marine in Bristol, and that Fire Department members will install the other equipment.
“We’ll take over from there so it fits two Stokes with room for the EMTs to work on patients,” Vinal said.
Nevins said the money has already been raised and placed in the Fire Truck Reserve account. That account is to be used for any fire apparatus, he said.
“It’s an emergency,” he said. Nevins said the purchase could not wait for approval until a later election.