Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:
Shortly after his election to the Lake Forest City Council last year, Ald. Ara Goshgarian noticed the Lake Forest Fire Department’s small patrol boat. He was concerned about its usefulness during a water emergency. Soon, an ad hoc committee was formed including representatives of The Friends of Lake Forest Parks and Recreation Foundation and city officials. The group studied both the type of boat needed and how to raise the requisite funds privately. That goal was reached and last month the council voted unanimously to accept a 2020 Boston Whaler 280 rescue boat valued at roughly $200,000 as a donation from the Foundation.
Over the past five years, the Lake Forest Fire Department has responded to 95 incidents in the water, including a run away jet ski, a missing kayaker and even the discovery of an alligator in Waukegan Harbor, according to Fire Chief Peter Siebert.
The new boat spans 28 feet and is believed to be unsinkable. It features modern equipment designed to handle inclement weather, with a flat surface that can be used to administer aid after a person is rescued. Other features include lights, sirens, and scuba tank storage. The boat will be stationed at the Lake Forest boat basin and may also be used for Foundation programming.
