Kenai Rescue gets new response craft

The Kenai Fire Department took St. Patrick’s Day for the occasion of showcasing their new rescue response water craft. “This will be our new primary rescue boat for the department,” said Chief Jeff Tucker on a perfect spring day. “The department has had for many years a rigid hull inflatable craft which gave us good capabilities within the river and out in the inlet. What this boat does is gives us an extra measure of stability, safety for our responders with the enclosed cabin and a larger platform for us to work on and a capacity to hold ten people and be able to get out into heavier seas in the Inlet. We also have the responsibility with the airport being in the city to go out and provide potentially downed aircraft rescue and other Inlet operations so this craft gives us a lot more stable platform to work at in much more difficult seas and situations,” said Tucker.

The new craft also gives the responders more speed when answering a call, “With these two twin 225 HP Honda outboards on here we’ll be moving a lot faster and decrease our response time greatly over what it has been in the past. It also does have the capacity to tow if the situation should require.” According to Tucker the boat is a 25ft safe boat that was formerly a Coast Guard vessel out of California, “A gentleman in Juneau purchased the craft and trailer then repowered it with the new engines and put new electronics and hydraulics in it with new seats to bring it up to standard. We were able to find the boat on sale from him and provide a unique asset for our department at a reasonable cost. The City paid $100,000 for it fully equipped, to purchase the boat new equipped as it is today would be upwards of $375,000, which we obviously couldn’t have afforded so we are very pleased to have this vessel as part of our rescue tool box in the department.” Tucker says special training will be offered to operate the new vessel and learn more about open water rescue.

More in News

Montessori materials sit on shelves in a classroom at Soldotna Montessori Charter School on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Education debate draws state attention to peninsula charter schools

Dunleavy would like to see a shift of authority over charter school approvals from local school districts to the state

The Nikiski Senior Center stands under sunlight in Nikiski, Alaska, on Thursday, March 14, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Support available for community caregivers

Nikiski Senior Center hosts relaunched Kenai Peninsula Family Caregiver Support Program

Flags flank the entrance to Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s office on Thursday, March 14, 2024, in Juneau, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Dunleavy vetoes bipartisan education bill

Senate Bill 140 passed the House by a vote of 38-2 and the Senate by a vote of 18-1 last month

The Alaska State Capitol on Friday, March 1, 2024, in Juneau, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
House passes bill altering wording of sex crimes against children

The bill is sponsored by Rep. Sarah Vance, R-Homer

Ben Meyer and Brandon Drzazgowski present to the Soldotna and Kenai Chambers of Commerce at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Watershed Forum gives update on streambank restoration

The watershed forum and other organizations are working to repair habitat and mitigate erosion

The entrance to the Kenai Police Department, as seen in Kenai, Alaska, on April 1, 2020. (Photo by Brian Mazurek/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai resident arrested on charges of arson

Kenai Police and Kenai Fire Department responded to a structure fire near Mountain View Elementary

Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski, speaks in opposition to an executive order that would abolish the Board of Certified Direct-Entry Midwives during a joint legislative session on Tuesday, March 12, 2024 in Juneau, Alaska. (Ashlyn O'Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Legislature kills most of Dunleavy’s executive orders in rare joint session

All the proposed orders would have shuffled or eliminated the responsibilities of various state boards

Nikiski Middle/High School student Maggie Grenier testifies in favor of a base student allocation increase before the Alaska Senate Education Committee on Monday, Feb. 12, 2024, in Juneau, Alaska. (Screenshot)
Students report mixed responses from lawmakers in education discussions

Delegates from the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District lobbied the Alaska Legislature for more state funding and other education priorities

A child waves from the back of a truck as the 32nd annual Sweeney’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade proceeds down Fireweed Street in Soldotna, Alaska on Friday, March 17, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
St. Patrick’s Day parade set for Sunday

The annual Sweeney’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade, hosted by the Soldotna Chamber of Commerce, kicks off at 2 p.m.

Most Read