SUPERIOR, WI—Lake Assault Boats, a manufacturer of purpose-built and mission-specific fire and rescue boats, has delivered a fire and rescue craft to Sherrills Ford-Terrell (NC) Fire & Rescue Department. The 28-foot long vessel is serving on Lake Norman, the largest and longest lake in the Carolinas.
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“We were introduced to the folks at Sherrills Ford-Terrell Fire & Rescue by a neighboring department, that has operated one of our fireboats for close to a decade,” said Bob Beck, Lake Assault Boats director of sales and marketing. “These word-of-mouth introductions are extremely gratifying, as they represent a satisfied customer experiencing the quality and long- term value we build into each and every one of our vessels.”
Lake Norman is an extremely popular resource that features 520 miles of shoreline surrounded by lake homes, summer cabins, numerous marinas, and several parks. “Our department is responsible for covering a large percentage of the lake’s shoreline, and this new craft has the power and versatility to take our response capabilities to a whole new level,” explained Deputy Chief Justin Butler of Sherrills Ford-Terrell Fire & Rescue Department. “For example, we support land-based apparatus, conduct rescue and recovery operations, and protect the marinas and the more than 30,000 boats registered on the lake.”
The craft is outfitted with twin 350-hp Mercury Verado outboard engines controlled through the one-touch Skyhook Digital Anchor and Joystick Piloting system. The firefighting equipment includes a 1,500-gpm Darley fire pump (powered by a dedicated V8 engine), an Elkhart monitor, twin 4-inch discharges, and a foam system.
The 9-foot-long pilothouse provides protection from the elements and is equipped with a forward leaning windshield, safety glass all around, sliding windows, lockable storage, a fold-down workstation, and an automatic fire suppression system below deck. 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.
“We visited the factory for a ‘pre-paint’ inspection; this was very beneficial as we were able to tweak a few things with help from their team,” offered Butler. “The bottom line is we’re very happy with the boat and Lake Assault’s service and support. They’ve jumped on any issues or requests, and have been great to work with.”
For more information visit www.lakeassault.com.
