Why Boynton is expanding its fire rescue operations on the water with $2.45M in upgrades

BOYNTON BEACH — Drownings, medical emergencies on boats and even fires in the homes that line Boynton Beach’s waterways are a few examples of the water-based crises with which the city's fire department contends, enough that it prompted making what it says are needed additions to its resources.

“Our inlet is one of the most dangerous inlets,” Fire Chief Hugh Bruder said. “In my analyzing that risk, I realized we really need to beef up this part of our emergency response.”

Boynton Beach Fire Rescue is getting a new rescue boat, as well as a dock at Harvey Oyer Park to house it. The updates at Oyer Park will also include renovations to a building by the dock for a fire engine as well as for firefighters on duty.

Between U.S. Coast Guard and fire rescue calls for water emergencies, Bruder estimates it’s one call a day in Boynton Beach. He said it may not seem like much, but the resources he wants can make a difference in those calls.

“If that person dies, and we don't have the resources to save that life, who's responsible for that? We are,” he said.

Right now, they address those calls with a few different tools — jet skis, a 17-foot rigid hull inflatable boat and a team of 31 divers. It's a big head start, but Bruder believes a new boat and dock are the next steps in efficiently handling emergencies and keeping first responders safe.

“My men and women are going out in a 17-foot rigid hull inflatable and 4- to 6-foot seas, and they're willing to try to save lives,” said Bruder. “The biggest benefit is the safety to my men and women who were out there doing the job.”

Boynton's new rescue boat will be 10 feet longer and sturdier than the current one

The new boat would have the capacity to keep those responders safer, and with the dock, could also shave down time for rescues.

The ship is built by Silver Ships, and it’s their Freedom 28 model . It’ll be about 10 feet longer than the current boat fire rescue has — and a lot sturdier.

It’ll have a variety of features, like being able to bring up water from beneath the boat to fight fires and seating specifically tailored for victims of medical emergencies.

Bruder estimates it’ll hit Boynton waters in August 2025. In the meantime, he’s planning on adapting training and staffing plans for the new vessel. A regular fireboat like the Freedom 28 would be staffed by all paramedics, but officers would need special training to operate the boat.

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That’ll include things like high-speed docking and using a deck gun that can fire off 750 gallons of water per minute.

The boat alone isn’t enough, though. Without anywhere to dock it, the crew will have to get it to the water each time there’s an emergency. Bruder said that getting the boat in the water takes about three or four minutes.

That could mean the difference between life and death. Bruder mentioned a case where a teenager called about his father having a heart attack on a boat just offshore.

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“The father was in the water on the back of the boat, and he was holding his son's hand,” said Bruder. “He lets go. The father sinks to the bottom.”

When officers arrived, the victim had already died. Bruder said having the rescue boat already docked could have cut down the three to four minutes it takes to get it in the water, and could have saved a life.

How much will all the safety upgrades cost?

The dock is expected to be completed in April 2025. The design and permitting phase is complete, and all that’s left is construction.

“I was successful at getting an inland waterways navigation grant to completely redo the dock as a public safety dock for both police and fire,” Bruder said. The grant from the FIND Commission is $250,000 with a 50% share.

Other parts of the project are coming from department revenue. That means part of the money taxpayers put toward all services from Boynton Beach Fire Rescue will fund some of these updates.

That includes the boat, which will cost about $400,000. It also includes a Coast Guard building by the dock that would be renovated to be a sixth fire station with easy 24/7 access to the boat. Bruder said all renovations to that building will cost $1.8 million.

Ocean Ridge and Briny Breezes are two nearby towns that contract with Boynton Beach Fire Rescue for emergency services.

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This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Why Boynton is expanding its fire rescue operations on the water with $2.45M in upgrades