Fayette County purchases new skiff water rescue boat as summer activities increase
UNIONTOWN (KDKA) - Fayette County has always been a popular destination in the summer as boaters and many others head to the waterways.
With that increased attention, unfortunately, come accidents.
That's why the Adah Volunteer Fire Department announced a recent addition of a 15-foot Mako Skiff water rescue boat to help its efforts when patrolling the Monongahela River.
"Adah, alone, has coverage of the 'Mon' for about 10 miles, stretching from Masontown to near Isabelle, this is only the second boat in the whole pool in Fayette County, from Gray's Landing to Maxwell," Adah VFD Chief L.C. Otto said.
The new boat has 3D sonar capabilities as well as various rope systems. It has the ability to navigate through waters as shallow as four inches and that gives firefighters and medics more resources for water-related incidents.
"We wanted to enhance our response protocols to be able to better serve our communities and the many tourists that visit Fayette County. The areas along the river can be pretty transient in population, due to various boat clubs and campgrounds. A lot of Adah homes are used as 'summer homes' and only occupied a few months of the year for their riverfront access," Otto said. "Outdoor recreation – especially post-Covid – has increased dramatically, so now you have an advanced risk of incidents while swimming, jet skiing, boating, kayaking and even fishing due to that extra traffic. We're already responding to incidents where we wouldn't have been called previously."
Now with the boat available to the fire department, Otto said that it will be used to deliver medics to patients, get people to safety, tow disabled vessels, assist with water pumps for fire services, and aid in search and rescue.
The GO Laurel Highlands Executive Director, Ann Nemanic, said that as many people come to Fayette County to enjoy outdoor recreational activities, the new boat is a key factor in keeping people safe.
"With all those activities, safety for locals and visitors alike remains paramount," she said. "The ability to support and provide the proper and necessary rescue and safety equipment is essential to maintaining the very best and safest experience possible."
The boat was purchased with funds generated through Fayette County's Hotel Tax Program. Without that funding, the closest rescue boat would have taken anywhere between 30 and 60 minutes to arrive in the area.
