City Gets New Tools for Water Emergency Response

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -- Citing the amount of water and the number of water-related emergencies, St. Johns County has purchased two new boats and a new lift.

The Arancia 377 is a new rescue boat, and the county ordered two of them for delivery in December.

The St. Augustine Port Waterway & Beach District provided $24,272 so St. Johns County Fire and Rescue could provide the boats for the Marine Rescue Division.

"Fire and Rescue Chief Robert Hall alerted us to this need - there were 53 vessel-related emergencies and 270-plus other aquatic emergencies in the last fiscal year, and St. Johns County Marine Rescue could have response gaps due to outdated or out-of-service equipment," said chairman Barry Benjamin. 

"The two, new rescue craft can be used in the river, the Intracoastal, or - because they can handle 15-ft. waves - even in the ocean. This will help to make response time much more efficient."

The district also agreed to pay half the cost of new lifts at the City Marina to be used for the Fire Boat and Police Boat owned by the city of St. Augustine.

The city said the lifts will not only reduce the response time for emergencies, but will also keep the boats in better shape and reduce maintenance costs.

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