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Christina Lake fire department christens new boat

The department leveraged its members’ skills to repurpose a former recreational pontoon boat
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On a hot day, tubers and boaters are tempted by the mist coming off the water cannon’s stream. (Jensen Edwards/Grand Forks Gazette)

Christina Lake Fire/Rescue engine 361 is unlike any other. Its hull is that of a pontoon boat, donated at a steeply discounted price by Boundary resident Ross Glanville. Its plumbing was done in-part by the department’s chief, Joe Geary, who was a plumber in a previous career. Its electrical wiring was also rigged by department members. Even its mooring station at Schulli Resort has been donated to the department.

In all, the newest bright red boat to skim across the lake is a community project, at its core, and, after its christening on July 10, it is set to add another layer of protection for residents and visitors alike.

Geary said Friday that the aquatic engine will help his department attack lake-front fires, and address medical calls on the water.

The 30-foot pontoon boat is equipped with a 151-horsepower engine, side and bow thrusters, and the ability to pump 630 gallons of water per minute from the lake through a water cannon and two hose attachments.


@jensenedw
Jensen.edwards@grandforksgazette.ca

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Christina Lake Fire/Rescue celebrates the launch of their new fire boat. (Jensen Edwards/Grand Forks Gazette)
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Christina Lake fire chief Joe Geary (centre, in white) shows Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB) fire chiefs Dan Derby and Glen Gallamore (also in white) the Christina Lake department’s new Engine 361. (Jensen Edwards/Grand Forks Gazette)
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Christina Lake fire department chief Joe Geary demonstrates the water cannon on the department’s new fire boat. (Jensen Edwards/Grand Forks Gazette)