A new multimission boat has been put into service to meet the increasing challenges faced by Charleston County Rescue in South Carolina, which responds to a wide range of emergencies that includes hurricanes and flooding.
The boat, launched in December 2017, was developed by Stanley Aluminum Boats in close cooperation with the Charleston Volunteer Fire and Rescue Squad, which includes first responders, EMTs, and paramedics. The 31'x10' boat is powered by twin Yamaha 250 outboards and can travel at 44 mph to quickly assist victims who are not within reach of land-based units. It can operate in as little as 20" of water, to facilitate operations under local conditions.
Stanley president Bill Connor pioneered the company’s fire rescue designs. “We’re excited, and proud, to also offer this as a combination vessel that can be equipped with a pump for those agencies that need marine fire suppression capabilities,” said Connor. “As more demands are placed on the fire service everywhere, we are doing our utmost to support responders with the modern boats that they need now. That’s why this design can be used in tough weather conditions in many locations."
Stanley, headquartered in Ontario, Canada, is a division of Connor Industries, which has been building heavy-duty custom commercial boats and recreational boats for three decades. Based on the company’s experiences with extreme weather, Stanley engineers created a unique wheelhouse design that provides rescuers with protection from the elements, but also provides a “fore-and-aft pass-through” to ease on-board crew movement while underway. The boat is also equipped with dive doors, diver safety rails, push-knees, lifting davit, and a tow-post for maximum utility. It features Stanley’s 72"-wide Bullnose bow gate that enables crews to retrieve persons or objects from the water, and to load equipment from shore, making Charleston’s boat beachable.
The 10' beam offers maximum stability and comes with a tri-axle trailer for saltwater launches. It is equipped with advanced electronics, carefully selected by Charleston County Rescue.
