Town leaders in Carolina Beach approved the purchase of a fire/rescue boat at their meeting Tuesday.
Leaders say they will budget for the boat this coming fiscal year, but have to figure out what style of boat they want, so no exact price has been set yet.
Town staff did, however, look at three potential options for the boat, ranging in price from $157,950 to $177,000.
According to the agenda, Carolina Beach Fire/Rescue responded to over 35 water rescues each year since 2013.
The department has also responded to numerous medical calls in the mooring field, which can only be accessed by boat.
Several slips in the boat basin would take more than 700 feet of hose in the case of a fire, so assistance from the water would aid firefighters.
In addition to the cost of the boat, council members discussed: the cost of electronics, lights and sirens needed for the boat (estimated $10,000), the storage/dockage of the boat to enable a quick response time, the cost of maintaining equipment, and the cost of training personnel to operate the boat.