While thousands of Floridians and tourists took to the waters last week during lobster mini-season to harvest the tasty crustaceans, Indian River County Fire Rescue’s only solid-hulled boat – home base for the county’s dive team – was in the shop for repairs.
Firefighters usually have two boats available to assist the U.S. Coast Guard with ocean rescues or handle incidents on the Indian River Lagoon and the county’s canals and marshes.
The county’s 13-foot inflatable boat was in-service, but the 10-year-old, 27-foot Boston Whaler – normally anchored at Station 2 near Riverside Café – was awaiting a new outboard engine at Vero Marine Center.
Fire Chief John King, when asked for the dates the Whaler was in the shop for service, did not provide that information, but replied that “Marine 21 recently experienced a rough running engine and was sent to our maintenance provider for an engine check. It was determined the cost to repair the outboard motor exceeded its value.”
County Administrator Jason Brown authorized money from next year to be spent on two new outboard motors for both the Whaler and the inflatable boat. “An unexpected repair occurred and every measure necessary to quickly remedy the failing outboard issue was taken to expedite this purchase,” King said.
King downplayed Indian River County Fire Rescue’s role in the massive lobster-hunting event that state officials estimate attracts about 60,000 people up and down the coast. “The United States Coast Guard Fort Pierce is the primary marine agency for Indian River County and we are a support agency, much like the local law enforcement agencies,” he said.
Presumably, Coast Guard vessels were spread pretty thin during the two-day frenzy July 27 and 28, and that’s why Indian River Shores Public Safety Chief Rich Rosell had the Town’s boat out on ocean patrol those two days – thinking Indian River County would have their boat available just minutes away on the river should an incident arise.
The Shores was not notified that the county boat was down for mini-season. The Vero Beach Police patrol shift commander and Indian River County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Eric Flowers also were unaware the county’s fire-rescue boat was out of commission those days.
With regard to the lack of local agency coordination, Chief King said, “Fire-Rescue did communicate to County Dispatch that Marine 21 was out of service, and the IRC Sheriff’s Office was prepared to assist this agency as necessary.”
