Fire service officially launches $200k boat
The new Cayman Islands Fire Service rescue vessel
(CNS): A new rescue vessel bought by the home affairs ministry for the Cayman Islands Fire Service was officially launched last week but the $200,000 custom-made boat has already been involved in one real rescue. The 32-foot vessel has GPS, flood lights and spot lights and can reach speeds of up to 50mph carrying a crew of up to seven people. It has six inflatable rescue rafts on board that can altogether hold up to 300 people.
At the boat’s official launch Premier Alden McLaughlin, who is also the home affairs minister, said government purchased the vessel to meet its promise to have the necessary life-saving marine equipment that can be deployed as quickly as possible.
“Firefighters go to work each day not knowing exactly what dangers or risks they may face, but they go willingly with a spirit of duty to their fellow man. We, as a government, owe it to them to provide the tools they need to protect the public and themselves,” McLaughlin said.
The boat was involved in a rescue of passengers stranded on a boat in the North Sound earlier this month and the premier thanked all those involved in the “daring rescue”, saying the boat had “stood up to the test” and “proven its mettle”.
Chief Fire Officer David Hails said the boat would be instrumental in water related rescue missions and would increase the ability of the fire service to respond to an emergency with greater speed.
“All three islands will benefit from the purchase of this boat, as other boats will be moved around to provide an increased water rescue capability at each location,” he said.
Category: Local News
Once again Cayman buys shit, should have bought a 47foot motor life boat from the us coast guard if they didn’t waste the 1.2million needed on other bullshit like this fuc*ing pond boat that isn’t worth shit for rescue when the north sound gets choppy. Why do people not follow along and know what is happening? Why are there all these uninformed comments like why cant the marine unit do it? Well simple, the marine unit is meant for chasing drug dories and the people in charge don’t give a shit about search and rescue which is clearly not what the boats are intended for but the marine unit is responsible for. Come on Cayman, get multipurpose. Stop buying shit for everything and by something that can work for anything. The 47 motor life boat is rated for 20ft seas and is self righting should it capsize and can easily fit the same amount or more life rafts as that pond boat the fire department has to use. If that can’t go out then no one will be able to.
Take a good look at the photo as it might be the last time you see this boat afloat.
Stick it in the closet next to the expensive Ebola protection kit.
Appears the same assessment used as by the ‘experts’ for the police marine unit, one of whom is very much in charge now. CNS, ask the RCIPS to comment on how many boats they have operational. I won’t spoil it by answering it, but it is a scandal.
Fire Boat? Where’s the water cannon? Hope the crew have big bladders and hoses if there’s a fire on the water to put out.
It ended up at the Sand Bar by accident. It is for the end of the runway and end of the runway only. It is right they should have that capability under international aviation requirements, same way as they have dedicated airfield fire trucks.
How about more built for purpose DOE boats instead of a ridiculous landing craft that will sink in anything above NS waters? That way we wouldn’t need ‘heroic’ rescues by a lame duck fire service on the Sandbar.
I can see a world record marlin laying next to the ramp now….
Why do the fire service need a boat? Have there been many waterborne fires in Cayman? Is rescuing at sea not a job for the RCIPS Marine Unit or the Coastguard?
they Need it in case the plane crashes in the water you retard!
Won’t do much good parked in Grand Harbour by Salty’s bar where I saw it today
why not be prepared. stop being small minded
12:32, The majority if not all Marine Unit boats are always on dry dock because those that are purported “Captains” cannot seem to take them on the water without damaging them every single time they go out.
Coast Guard? Clearly you know nothing about Cayman.
They need a boat for if there is a plane crash in the north sound.
Can the design of this boat function in our waters outside the reef or in seas greater than 2ft? Seems like this design is more suited to a lake or small pond and not the Caribbean Sea.
And for the love of God please do not, I repeat. DO NOT let any of the so called “Captains” from the Marine Unit anyway near the helm of this boat.
Glad to see new equipment in the fire service, waste management, police, etc. At least our money is not being gambled away.
I’m all for the Cayman Islands Fire Service (CIFS) obtaining essential life saving equipment. The dedicated men and women of this service branch provide an essential service and must be properly equipped to do their job.
I do question the need for a “custom made” vessel and whether it had any major cost implications. Are there not suitable “standard edition” marine rescue vessels that would be suitable for the CIFS?
The Fire Service has had a rescue boat for dozens of years, kept at the end of the runway for obvious reasons. This is just a new boat to replace the aging craft. Doesn’t RCIPS get new vehicles often?
and how many times has it been used (apart from fishing trips)?.
at one point there were two boats and veritas it should be a good thing it isn’t used you prick
Dear Annie: How many functionally capable life saving ambulances are there on Grand Cayman and where are they stationed? Ie. If one is stuck in line at Wendy’s drive through, another is couriering public blood bank pints to private Shetty hospital, and another is attending a twisted ankle scene, does the tourist having a heart attack have to die?
And in other news, the Coast Guard service has just bought it’s first fire engine……….
Congratulations to the Premier and to those involved in the Fire Service. Yet another important thing done by the “do nothing PPM Government”.
Too bad they short on ambulances.
Was there a business case for providing firemen with a rescue boat and did it invove fishing trips for R & R?.
You have failed to point out that the outstanding feature is that it is a landing craft type design with a drop down ramp at the bow.
I have to question the choice for a landing craft design, over a conventional commercial V-hull design for this role. Looking at the photo, I can see the advantage of the drop front for the rescue & retrieval of people in the water, from an example of an aircraft having experienced a water landing, or to load/unload people & rafts from either the water or a shoreline, ( a shoreline with a very minimal bank ), but outside these applications, the drop front will have limited use. Interested to hear opinions on this.
Oh for heavens sake do some research. I recall Bob Sotos diving had a couple of these for diving purposes. The practical value must have been enormous. Plus such landing craft are well used in the Military. Seem to also remember as a boy West India Line using them, which allowed access to very shallow areas, by one particularly skilled and British licensed Master from West Bay, God Bless his soul.
Given its only real purpose is to rescue people from a plane that overruns the runway, not sure what your point is re suitability for other applications?
Oh dear Jesus. The report from the UK some time back pointed out what we all know namely that the fire officers-great guys- have VERY little to do all day and every day (almost no fires) except polish their machines. I guess this is another one to keep clean.
They actually had a few recently, including one this morning (Wednesday)
So…what are you suggesting? That we have more fires? Idiot
No, Idiot, I’m not suggesting more fires. That marks you as the idiot. I just would like business cases for big expenditure and everyone knows (we didn’t need the UK consultant to tell us) that the Fire Dept (especially on the Brac!) spends a lot of time not doing very much.
Polish their machines… hahahaha