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New shallow water boat to aid Search and Rescue

Last Updated Oct 4, 2018 at 8:24 am MDT

PHOTO. Supplied. Fort McMurray Search and Rescue.

Fort McMurray Search and Rescue has announced the purchase of a new shallow water rescue boat.

The team was able to buy the $130,000 piece of equipment entirely through donations from corporate sponsors.

Bryce Bodner, Emergency Services Liaison Officer for the team said the new boat can operate in about 10 inches of water, giving the team the ability to respond to a wider variety of calls.

“We’ve noticed that about 80 per cent of our calls are all water-based, so that’d be on the lakes and rivers. It could be anywhere from a stranded boat to a capsized boat to a search for a missing person, including the annual river breakup and the floods we can see down at Waterways at times.”

He said the boat has been in operation since July and has already been used in about four calls.

You can see the boat at the community unveiling at the Snye boat launch on Oct. 14 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

The fire department and RCMP will also be on hand along with the corporate donors who helped make the purchase possible.