Fire Service boat a necessity
Why does the Cayman Islands Fire Service need a boat?
Auntie’s answer: There is actually a very practical and important reason for the Fire Service to maintain a boat and it has to do with the airport. An official with the unit explained that the boat is needed “to provide a water rescue capability for the occupants of any aircraft that may land in the water off the end of the runway”.
While that scenario is clearly not a common occurrence here, it is nice to know that the Fire Service is ready and equipped to deal with such an emergency. The rescue launch was designed to enable a water rescue for passengers of the “largest aircraft landing at the airport within the specified response area”, the official added.
At the same time, if there is an emergency outside of these parameters, the Fire Service would assess a response and “where deemed possible, the launch might be used for purposes other than what it is designed for”. As an example, the launch has already been in action to rescue 10 people from a boat in distress in rough seas.
Category: Ask Auntie
