Delaware City Fire Company Fireboat One-Five - Delaware City, DE - Signs of History on Waymarking.com

The plaque says, "In the years prior to WW II, many of the local citizens were watermen and made their living from the river. If a boat crew was in distress and needed assistance, other boat owners from town would navigate their craft to make the needed rescue. The town fire company did not have a need for a river rescue unit. However, this all changed around 1956. The story behind Delaware City's River Rescue Division is relayed by several older members, stating that a neighboring fire company to the north had their river rescue squad come into town and launch their boat at the end of Clinton Street, answering a call for help they had received for an overdue boat that was stranded on Pea Patch Island. The neighboring department did not call us for help nor tell us they were coming into our district.
From that incident, several members of the Delaware City Fire Company requested permission for the fire company to start their own river rescue division. This was approved and the purchase of a 1956 Dodge ½ ton pickup truck, a 14' aluminum boat, a 6 HP motor and necessary marine equipment was completed. After a couple of years, it was decided to replace the boat and motor with a 16 foot aluminum boat and 18 HP outboard motor, and pulled behind the Dodge truck on a trailer instead of being carried on a rack on top of the truck.
Over the years the fire company has continued to upgrade and improve the Marine Rescue Department with the following equipment:
40' Navy Work Boat
19' Aluminum Boat and 85 HP motor
Penn Yan Boat with an inboard/outboard motor
1986 25' Sea Hawk Pilot House Boat with 200 HP Mercury outboard motor
1991 Zodiac Hurricane inflatable Boat and trailer with 30 HP Johnson motor (In Service)
1994 Boston Whaler Guardian Boat with 250 HP 4-stroke outboard motor (Retired 2016)

2015 - To replaced the 2011 Firestorm 30 severely damaged, is the Metalcraft Firestorm 32 state-of-the-art fire suppression and rescue platform outfitted with the latest and most sophisticated navigation, communication, and safety equipment available Fireboat 15 is capable of responding in the all types of weather and sea conditions while keeping its passengers and crew safe. Additionally, the vessel is equipped with AreaRAE multi-gas monitors, ChemRAE chemical warfare agent detectors, and breathing air systems as well as full complement of firefighting and specialty rescue components."

Group that erected the marker: Delaware City Fire Company, Marine Department Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary: Delaware City, DE, USA URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: Not listed

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