Lake Assault Boats has delivered its third fire and rescue boat to the San Bernardino County Fire District (SBCFD) in California. The 28-foot long vessel is serving on California’s Big Bear Lake, and is similar to one stationed in Needles, Calif., on the Colorado River.

“Like our other Lake Assault Boats units in service with SBCFD, this new craft is equipped to handle a wide range of emergency scenarios, and is outfitted with particular features for a high altitude lake," said Chad DuMars, Lake Assault Boats vice president of operations.

Big Bear Lake is situated at over 6,700 feet above sea level. “Because of Big Bear’s elevation, we’ve added a fully-enclosed pilothouse and a reinforced hull that will enable us to push through ice in emergency situations,” explained Brian Wells, an SBCFD Engineer.

The fireboat is outfitted with twin 350 hp Mercury Verado outboard engines controlled through the one-touch Skyhook Digital Anchor and Joystick Piloting systems. A 1500 gpm Darley pump (powered by a dedicated V-8 engine) along with a TFT monitor and three discharge ports comprise the heart of its firefighting capabilities. A 63-inch hydraulically operated bow door (with an integrated ladder), dual dive doors, a davit crane with twin socket locations, and a fully enclosed pilothouse provide protection from the elements.

The onboard electronics include dual 12-inch touchscreens mounted on the dash, Garmin radar and sonar with SideVu and DownVu, chart plotting, and a forward looking infrared (FLIR) system. Lake Assault Boats provided three days of on-the-water orientation ahead of the boats being put into service.