Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
17 June 2008
By Rich Lord
With the boating season already well under way, the city of Pittsburgh's River Rescue fleet isn't yet ready to go full steam ahead.
The newest vessel has been in the shop since late May. The two other front-line boats -- including one that's two decades old -- are each running on one of their two engines.
"You don't go as fast, certainly" with one engine as with two, Emergency Medical Services Chief Robert McCaughan said yesterday. "But we're still in service. We're still answering calls."
He said the city's fleet will be back in ship shape in a week.
The mechanical problems and their effect on response times, though, worried boating advocates and the head of the paramedics union, which represents the rescue workers who staff the boats that are piloted by police.
"You don't have a lot of time to do a rescue, so it's important that all of those assets are available as early in the season as possible," said Mike Lambert, former director of the Three Rivers Rowing Association.
The city hasn't skimped on boats, spending around $700,000 in federal grant money on vessels and aquatic rescue equipment in recent years. Its front line vessels are two 30-foot SeaArks -- one with two 250-horsepower engines, the other with two 225-horsepower engines. Neither is more than five years old.
With one of the SeaArks at the marine dealer for the last three weeks for powerhead work and warranty and recall items, the city has a 20-year-old, 25-foot Boston Whaler Guardian with dual 150-horsepower engines docked at its station near PNC Park.
Chief McCaughan said he's trying to get the grounded SeaArk back in the water and both engines running on the other SeaArk and the Boston Whaler in plenty of time for the July 3 and 4 Pittsburgh Three Rivers Regatta.
He said if another boat goes down, the backup is an air boat, though it's mostly for use on ice and is "a little tricky to maneuver at times." The city also has a handful of inflatable boats.
He said that in addition to curbing patrolling, the city has suspended on-water training while it works through the maintenance issues.
Councilwoman Darlene Harris said it "concerns me that [engines are] out this long and we know we're in boating season. Those in public safety feel that it's presenting a problem."
Tony Weinmann, local president of the Fraternal Association of Professional Paramedics, said maintenance problems with the boats are "another factor that affects our response time" to emergencies.
City Controller Michael Lamb issued a report last week that found EMS response times were not meeting national standards and worsened from 2006 to 2007, due largely to high call volumes and staff cuts.
The River Rescue Unit has historically responded to around 100 calls per year.
During big events like the Regatta, it gets help from the state Fish and Boat Commission, the Coast Guard and the Coast Guard Auxiliary, said Andy Talento, president of the Pennsylvania Boating Association.
The city's efforts to encourage boaters to tie up, go ashore and spend money depend in part on a sense of safety, said Mr. Talento.
"It is very important. In fact, as the future goes on, [River Rescue is] going to get more and more important, because they're just really starting to see the potential of these water-based businesses," he said. "If it's an accident and you've got somebody hurt, I'm sure timing's everything."
Mr. Lambert said that for rowers, it's most important to have fast response when the water is cold, but summer poses its own set of dangers. "The hazard now is, God forbid, collisions, with all of the power boats around."
Rich Lord can be reached at rlord@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1542