Tuftonboro Fire Rescue was the first town on lake Winnipesaukee to have an airboat. This vessel, a 2005 Yankee Badger Airboat, has been a critical resource for all of the towns on the lake. What people don’t always keep in mind, is that while the airboat itself is an incredibly useful tool to perform rescues, there are other critical accessories that help maximize the effectiveness and response time.
The foundation is pleased to provide to the town of Tuftonboro a new tilt-style trailer that will not only maximize the potential of this airboat, but is also going to be utilized in the coming years when Tuftonboro is able to secure a new airboat for the Fire Rescue team.
The new trailer carries the airboat
A Q&A with Tuftonboro Fire Department Captain, Chris Morgan
Q. Can you tell us a little more about the challenges you have today with the existing trailer for the airboat
A. Our current airboat is set up to deploy off a traditional boat trailer. There have been several fabrications and modifications to the current trailer to improve the speed and safety of the launch. While many contribute and provide some benefits, none have provided us with a long-term solution. Launching to deploy this into open water is as pretty straightforward and can be as quick as dunking a traditional boat. The challenges and delays arise when the launch sites are iced over or traditional boat launch sites are unavailable. Over the years, we have developed systems and variations to safely deploy to the ground while working to reduce or prevent damage to the equipment depending on the surface to which we must launch. These methods are either quite fast and safe but cause significant wear and damage or are slow and easy on the equipment but are more prone to causing injury to the responders. Either option is unfavorable!
The benefit to the airboat is its capability to operate on the ground as well as on ice and water and those unsafe and unpredictable transitions in between.
Q. Why is a trailer the integral component to your missions?
A. With the growing number of airboats being used primarily for rescue across the United States, education and evidence-based knowledge have shown that the delay in response from initiation to alarm to patient contact falls greatly to the ability of agencies to safely and efficiently deploy and put their vessel underway. When the average adult can become incapacitated in less than 15 minutes and kids in less than 10, it’s imperative that the rescue team be equipped as efficiently as possible to create a smooth and fast response. This trailer will greatly reduce response times for years to come.
Q. Tell us more about the benefit of this particular trailer?
A. With the donation from your foundation, we have been able to purchase a tilt deck style trailer. This will allow for the traditional in-water launch as well as tilting and a controlled lowering via a powered winch. This offers a safe and efficient upgrade and removes the barriers we currently face with deploying on variable ground conditions.
Q. We know that Tuftonboro Fire is looking to replace the current airboat with a newer model. Can you tell us a little more about the plans to obtain the airboat and how this trailer will remain in use even with the vessel change?
A. Our current vessel is a 2005. Our anticipated lifespan for this apparatus is 25 years, which positions us to begin the replacement process in a year. We were slated to have two contributions to the Capital Improvement Program and reserve funds toward the boat, one in 2024 and the second in 2025. However, with many competing priorities the funds from the town are not a guarantee. Our town meeting is not until March, and we won’t know until then whether or not these will be funded.
In the chance that the funding is not secured, we are still working diligently to seek alternative funding methods. Our Firefighters Association is committed to raising funds through additional donations and annual fundraisers that support the acquisition of equipment just like this. In fact, they contributed about 45% of the initial cost of the boat we have in service. By the time the boat is due for replacement, it’s possible the Firefighters Association may have close to the same percentage raised. Unfortunately, at this time, we do not have a solid number of secured funds.
The trailer we spec’d out is a 22’ trailer that will be capable of hauling a 20’ boat. Our current is 18’. The intent with this trailer acquisition is to begin using a piece of equipment that enables us to respond faster and safer while allowing growth for the next vessel. It will also allow us to put it in operation and work out the cobwebs before we finalize the next boat design. Allowing us to make any necessary changes to the design before we finalize the purchase agreement. The plan is when the time comes to liquidate the current boat, it will be sold with its original trailer, and the trailer your team aided us with will remain in service with the Tuftonboro Fire Rescue Dept and the new boat.
This upgraded trailer being capable of supporting a replacement boat as well as our current, will offset the future replacement cost and likely assist us in acquiring a full replacement that much sooner.
NH Fire Academy Certified Ice Rescue class