Heavy holiday
rain sinks aid squad’s rescue boat
July 13, 1991
FAIR HAVEN — It was far from being a "perfect
storm," but the rain on the Fourth of July was enough to dry
dock the first aid squad’s rescue boat.
Last week, the squad’s boat capsized during
the holiday rain, damaging much of the craft’s electrical
system, said Wade Davis, captain of the borough’s first aid
squad.
Normally the 17-foot boat is kept on a trailer,
but the squad used it the previous evening to assist Red Bank during
its annual fireworks display and the crew experienced no problems,
according to Davis.
But while docked at Fair Haven Yacht Works on
DeNormandie Avenue, the craft took on water and capsized, damaging
the entire electrical system, the radios and navigational equipment,
he said.
"Basically anything exposed to salt water,"
he said.
The extent of the damage is yet to be determined
by the insurance company, and the first aid squad will wait until
the final determination before deciding what to do, Davis said.
The rescue craft is a 30-year-old Duranautics
that is actually a converted fishing boat. If the damage is deemed
too extensive, the squad will have to decide whether it is worth
repairing, Davis said
In the interim, Davis said, the borough will have
access to Rumson’s boat.
"We’re looking to get something back
in service for the time being," he said.
Traditionally, rescue boats are used more for
recovery than rescues, Davis explained, such as for the bodies of
the Highlands clammers, in which Fair Haven participated. But they
are also used to assist stranded recreational boaters and those
taken ill or injured on the area rivers.
— John Burton for The Hub |