Florida Everglades Safer With 3 New Fast Rescue Boats: Video

MIAMI, FL — The vast Florida Everglades are a little bit safer with the addition of three 600 horsepower supercharged airboats.

"This allows us an added capability of dealing with the wetlands and the inland Everglades," explained Miami-Dade Fire Chief Dave Downey, who helped launch the 16-foot boats on Tuesday.

The agency has had only one airboat since 1996, when that boat was purchased to assist in the aftermath of the ValueJet crash. It is being replaced by the three new vessels.

"While we had one airboat with limited response ability, these new state-of-the-art airboats are going to allow us to cover our entire service area — and then some — in the inland waterways," the chief added.

With their sleek design, the airboats can travel on shallow water and at faster speeds than the previous model.

“The new airboats will be operating to respond to approximately 1,400 square miles of the marshy territory that encompasses the Florida Everglades,” said the agency's Marine Services Chief Andy Alvarez.

Each airboat will be staffed with a crew of four firefighter/paramedics who undergo the same training as crews on a fire truck.

The Marine Services Bureau oversees the fleet of agency fireboats. They are staffed around the clock.

"These vessels protect and patrol the waterways of Miami-Dade County while responding to any incident/accident within our jurisdiction, or when requested by the United States Coast Guard and/or our state/county maritime law enforcement partners," according to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.

All three airboats include Advanced Life Support capabilities as well as extrication equipment for underwater rescues. They can carry up to 13 seated people and another three people on backboards.