EKY fire department gets rescue boat

JACKSON, Ky. (WYMT) - The Jackson Fire Department was awarded a $17,400 grant by the USDA to purchase a rescue boat.

Firefighter Joshua Howard said the grant made buying the boat possible.

“The grant helps us a lot considering what the price range of the boats are now, it helps us tremendously honestly because, we are a combination department. We are part paid, but more volunteers than paid,” he said.

After floods two years in a row, the team needed the extra equipment.

“In the 2021 flood, we literally just had a john boat. It was trial by fire more or less. We got our taste of it and that is how we ended up with the zodiac boat, that is our other floatation boat. In the 2022 flood, we was on top of it, granted we only had one boat per the county and being as big as the county is,” he explained.

He said after both floods, they were able to learn from different fire and rescue teams how to use boats to rescue people.

“We are definitely more prepared, you know like I said, from a 16 foot flat bottom john boat to, we have a zodiac boat, we have the john boat, we have our rescue boat and with them guys you know, we keep in contact with them, we continuously talk with them and learning. They have had years of experiences because they are away from us, like I said, we are living in the mountains, that is how it is,” he said.

With the grant, Howard said they were able to use the money to purchase a trailer that will hold different supplies for the boat.

“We got an operations trailer that comes with the boat that we took the money that we were going to use to buy the boat with, bought us an operations trailer, bought new life vests, new dry suits, new equipment for our guys to use for water rescues, swift water rescues and stuff like that,” he explained.

He added that they will be able to help more people when needed.

“Only having one boat, we can only do so much. Having that secondary boat means we can put two boats in and we can have twice the operation, we can have more things moving. At one point in time, instead of waiting for that one boat to get back,” he said.

He said thankfully, they have not had to use the boat yet, but that he is fine knowing that they will have the opportunity to use it and not wait for additional help..

The USDA awarded Breathitt, Lee, Martin and Wayne County grants for similar emergency uses.

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