The US Coast Guard Station in Burlington has recently taken delivery of a new air boat to assist in ice rescues on Lake Champlain, New York.
The new airboat will be one of the many tools that Station Burlington uses to increase its response and on-scene times.
"We hope to prevent tragic outcomes on Lake Champlain like the recent tragic snowmobile accident on Lake Dunmore," said Cdr. Phillip Thorne, the chief of response for Coast Guard Sector Northern New England, referring to a snowmobile accident on Lake Dunmore which claimed three lives in January.
"The new airboat will significantly enhance the station's ice rescue response time on Lake Champlain, but we are also urging people to stay off the ice."
Station personnel received training on the new boat prior to responding to search and rescue cases with the new airboat on Lake Champlain. The training focused on the safe operation of the boat and proper maintenance.
Before delivery of the air boat, Coast Guard members had to walk, carrying all their equipment to any ice rescue scene, wasting valuable time in rescue efforts.
With the airboat, which goes over ice and water, the Coast Guard will be able to reach more incidents and get there faster.