Allegheny River Water-Rescue Crews Train on Unique Boat
Aspinwall Herald
9 May 2011
By Mary Ann Thomas
Emergency crews trained last week in the Allegheny River at the
Highland Park dam on the only rescue boat in the state that can float
against a dam wall.
The exercise was hosted by the Blawnox Volunteer Fire Company, which
bought the boat to add to its water rescue fleet, and the Allegheny
County Swift Water and Flood Response Team.
Known as a Creature Craft, the inflatable boat is designed to stay
afloat in turbulent waters at the bottom of a dam.
Because a number of boating accidents occur at dams, the vessel is a
valuable addition for local emergency services, said George McBriar,
Blawnox fire chief and coordinator of Allegheny County's Swift Water
and Flood Response Team.
The new rescue boat is one of a kind in the state, according to Darren
Vancil, owner and designer of the Creature Craft, a company based in
Grand Junction, Colo.
Vancil came to town to help area emergency responders learn how to
maneuver the boat, which will fill a void for rescue workers, according
to McBriar.
"What makes the boat special is it is designed to go into a low-head
dam to provide rescue, and the boat doesn't roll over," McBriar said.
The $14,000 boat was paid for by a state firefighters grant and the
Blawnox fire company.
Close to 50 rescue workers, many of whom are on the county water rescue
team, stopped by for the training exercises.
The team was formed about a year ago to pull together and coordinate
water rescue services throughout the region.
After Hurricane Ivan, emergency managers realized that specially
flood-trained personnel and equipment with local volunteer fire
departments was spotty.
"We identified the need to better coordinate swift-water and flood
resources," said Alvin Henderson Jr., acting chief of emergency
services for Allegheny County.
"Floods are a time-sensitive event, and we have to be ready to deploy
crews to areas where they are needed," he said.
The county Swift Water and Flood Response Team has about seven teams
that cover each of the region's three rivers. Each team has special
rescue equipment and training to deal with floods and other water
emergencies.
Recently, the team was called out for a safety detail with breakaway
barges on the Ohio River near Neville Island.
Mary Ann Thomas can be reached at mthomas@tribweb.com or
412-782-2121 x1510.
You can check out their rescue boat at http://www.creaturecraft.com