PHOTOS: It was the perfect afternoon to be on the water, but it was all business for technical rescue crew members from South County Fire Monday. They were trying out a brand new inflatable rescue craft with a series of water rescue drills designed to keep their skills razor sharp.
The new craft, a 10-foot inflatable equipped with a 9.9 horsepower Yamaha 4-stroke outboard, is designed to be carried on South County Fire’s technical rescue truck, enabling it to serve all area lakes. The rescue truck is centrally located at the Martha Lake Fire Station.
“This is our third rescue vessel,” explained South County Fire spokesperson Leslie Hynes. “Because it’s transportable it expands our water rescue capacity, giving us the ability to respond throughout our area.”
Other rescue craft comprise Marine 16, a 28-foot fire/rescue boat based at the Port of Edmonds, and Boat 19, a rigid-bottom inflatable based at Lake Ballinger.