My Department has a 31' Fire boat with twin 300 hp Outboards. For inshore we have been using a popular brand inflatable rescue boats with 30-40 hp outboard engines. Our response area is surrounded by water on two sides as we are at the mouth of a large river and have sevral lakes and ponds. In the past 30 years we have gone through 3 of these set ups. We have made several obvious life saving rescues and many more rescues to those in distress. Our department is considered a leader in this field in our area.

We have numerous tidal areas that have little or no water. We have had numerous calls where a mud motor set up would have been preferable to an inflatable. I am a duck hunter and have done research on MM's and hoping to purchase my first one in the near future. I am familiar with what they are capable of. However, I was looking for some input on using MM' set ups as a rescue boat.

There are several inflatables still available for us to call in mutual aid if that type of platform is desirable but no shallow running options.

Looking at 2 or 3 man crew. Some choppy water. No vegetation. Used in tidal areas with varying water depth up to pure muck. Probably a removable small portable pump for use as needed (rarely). Would respond to drownings, overturned small vessels, boats aground for POB recovery, boating or jet ski accidents, flood evacuations and medical emergencies.

Is anyone aware of departments that are using one that is set up for rescue work?

Has anyone built one or have any suggestions of what to include when doing so.

This platform would have to be safe and reliable. Nothing is more embarassing than having to rescue the rescuer's

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Go to gator tail web page they used to have one on there. sorry fixed it

The departments around here that need a similar rescue platform have airboats.

http://www.gator-tail.com/boats-rescue.html

They could built you one with duals, custom features, whatever.

Yep, another vote for Gator-Tail here. Their rescue boats & work boats are hard to beat.

I had an incomplete thought on my post, but it seems to have been covered since. Gator-tail would be THE best option for a rescue mud boat in my opinion. Instant reverse..... Need i say more?

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Where is your location?

Gator Tail has built several custom rigs for law enforcement and rescue. What might be problematic is building a shallow water rescue vessel that is also capable of taking on big water at a reasonable speed. But I'm sure they could accommodate you. Call Kyle at 337-229-4864 to discuss.

Gator Trax makes a 'Big Water Edition"

http://www.gatortraxboats.com/c-2-big-w ... hulls.aspx

Airboat is best option period

Slidell sheriff office has a sd boat that I've seen them use during floods for rescue, not sure if they use it for much else. Thats the only time ive seen it. I'm pretty sure it's a gator trax boat.

Thank You for your replies and input.

We have evaluated AirBoats and Hover Crafts and have ruled them out as an option for various reasons.

Triplets...

airboat..

the most of the Sheriff offices here have airboats for emergencies on the water...

a tell your department to contact Mark Robicheaux.

I bet a 20x9 with a 502 would give yall plent of power to get done with what you need.. have a open layout and be able to carry a lot a people for a rescue

http://marksairboats.com/boats/showcase

does Gator tail put flotation in their rescue models?

Our departments next boat will be a flat bottom mud hull. We have an inflatable that we can't use most the time. We can not use an airboat because we don't have a boat launch on our stretch of the river and need something light that can be hand jacked. We have access to airboats north and south of us but only call them to ventilate large warehouse fires. There is a place for them in the fire service but I think the biggest problem will be getting people trained on operating them. They are a little more complicated than an outboard.

With the right bottom and power you Oughta be able to load and unload an airboat on dry ground pretty easy.

Kinda what I was thinking...

No access to a boat ramp seems like an airboat would be your only option. I must say I've never thought of using an airboat for positive pressure ventilation, but I'd like to see it. Shouldn't be ANY chance of a rekindle after you mop up all the hot spots you find with that much good air moving through!

Exactly i cant think of any rescue situation where a mudboat would be better than a airboat. Airboat wins every time. The rescue guys really need to do some research and talk to some people with tiller time not just a salesman at the local mudboat dealership. Mudboats don't operate like an outboard either. You def dont want a first time driver trying assist someone in trouble especially if its life threatning!!!!

Just curious.

Never had a airboat so don't know much about them.

How do they ride in choppy/bigger water? Better or worse than a Mud Boat? Could that be why they don't want one?

He did say need to cross choppy water..

Either way for whatever reason the dude done said they ruled out airboats...

Only reason I can imagine ruling it out is budget reasons. If you can't afford it, you can't afford it.

Just saw PG county, MD use 2 air boats for positive pressure ventilation yesterday at a home depot fire. Worked well...

Since when can anyone in a "rescue" boat do any arresting? Just give it up..... That's what life jackets are for. Never seen a canoe with floatation either, are they death machines too? What percemtage of boats manufactured with floatation actually still has functional floatation after a few years on the water? You make me want to kick a cat when you start talking aout this shit.

How many fire departments do you know of that arrest people? I made zero arrests in my eight years of service...

Well I would have, but our fire boat had no flotation. I wouldn't have felt right about that...

Lol!

You are insane.

approved, exempt or whatever the F*** they wanna call it. the coast guard has been to the Gtail shop and has stamped them with something. I still dont know what it is ...... tramp stamp???