The Essex Fire Department Gets New Fireboat In Time For Summer!

ESSEX, CT — It's here and it's in the water!

After a long wait, the Essex Fire Engine Company #1's new fireboat arrived last Wednesday and was launched on Thursday morning. The boat, which was funded in part by a Federal Grant, was delayed due to the pandemic.

"I'm very excited Essex got our new fireboat," said First Selectman Norm Needleman "It will provide greater safety and security to people up and down the Connecticut River, especially on the waterfront in Essex."

He added, " A special thanks to the group who selected the boat and extreme gratitude to Congressman Courtney for facilitating the grant."

Back in August of 2019 Congressman Joe Courtney announced, via a press release, that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security awarded a $278,000 federal grant to the Essex Fire Engine Company to replace an obsolete and inadequate emergency response vessel.

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“Essex is a beautiful and important part of our region’s maritime heritage and economy and I am proud to have worked with local officials to win support for this important investment in the safety of the town’s waters,” Congressman Courtney said in the written statement. “I applaud First Selectman Needleman, the fire department, fire marshal and all those who were a part of this initiative for their diligent work in earning this worthy recognition.”

In the same press release Needleman stated, “On behalf of the Essex community, I am grateful to Congressman Courtney and the entire delegation for supporting us through the grant process. This was our fourth attempt to secure this critical funding, and we are thrilled to be able to put this funding to good use to secure a new emergency response vessel that will make both Essex and the entire region safer. I want to express my gratitude to our Fire Marshall John Planas for his dedicated efforts in pulling this grant application together, as well as the fire department for persevering in its work to secure this new funding and this new boat.”

The new Metcraft Marine Fireband fireboat had a total price tag of $377,000; 75 percent of that cost was covered by the Federal Grant and the remaining 25 percent or $92,000 was paid for by the Fire Department, from their capital fund. The new boat will replace the nearly 30-year-old 25 foot Privateer workboat that the Fire Department was previously using.

"This new boat will be a regional asset," said Planas. "It will be available to respond to emergencies throughout the region in the Connecticut River as well as on Long Island Sound."

Some outstanding features of this custom built emergency boat include; a 1,500 gallon per minute fire pump with a remotely operated deck monitor, which eliminates the need for personnel to be on deck, a state of the art Raymarine electronic console which includes Sidescan sonar and a FLIR thermal camera to assist with finding missing boaters, as well as a fully enclosed cabin to protect both crew and patients from the elements, a heated patient care area with dedicated EMS equipment storage and A/C outlet and easy access storage for SCBA equipment.

The modern vessel is a welcome addition to the Essex Fire Department and will greatly expand the marine firefighting and search and marine rescue capabilities, as well as be an asset, to Essex and the entire region.