Alton Fire Boat

lakershaker · 08-01-2005, 09:37 AM

I was glad to see that the fire boat from Alton made it to the boat fire off Ship Island. But I have been wondering about why it is docked at the extreme end of Alton Bay. Since most of the Town's Island residents are well outside the bay, it seems that the 6 miles or so to get out of the bay would add an unnecessary delay to an emergency response. Why doesn't the department keep the boat in either Minge Cove or West Alton Marina to be more accessible to the taxpayers who need it the most? Gilford's fire boat kept in Glendale is closer to much of Rattlesnake and Sleepers Islands!

I had heard that in the past a dock space was offered to the fire department in Minge Cove, but they turned it down. I hope it is for a reason better than they want the tourists to be able to see the boat tied up next to the Mount's dock!

RLW · 08-01-2005, 02:53 PM

The story I've heard and makes a lot of sense to me is, that 99.9% of the call firemen are in that area and not in the locations you mentioned. Can't you see them driving all that way and then get into a boat and continue on and then what if it's needed in the bay, they need to go all that way to retrive it and bring it back. I guess the best way and the most expensive is to have more firemen in that area and a second boat.

08-01-2005, 09:37 AM	#1
lakershaker Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Rattlesnake Isl. - Simsbury, CT Posts: 274 Thanks: 92 Thanked 46 Times in 28 Posts	Alton Fire Boat I was glad to see that the fire boat from Alton made it to the boat fire off Ship Island. But I have been wondering about why it is docked at the extreme end of Alton Bay. Since most of the Town's Island residents are well outside the bay, it seems that the 6 miles or so to get out of the bay would add an unnecessary delay to an emergency response. Why doesn't the department keep the boat in either Minge Cove or West Alton Marina to be more accessible to the taxpayers who need it the most? Gilford's fire boat kept in Glendale is closer to much of Rattlesnake and Sleepers Islands! I had heard that in the past a dock space was offered to the fire department in Minge Cove, but they turned it down. I hope it is for a reason better than they want the tourists to be able to see the boat tied up next to the Mount's dock!

08-01-2005, 02:53 PM	#2
RLW Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Alton Bay on the mountain by a lake Posts: 2,023 Thanks: 563 Thanked 444 Times in 311 Posts	Alton Fire Boat The story I've heard and makes a lot of sense to me is, that 99.9% of the call firemen are in that area and not in the locations you mentioned. Can't you see them driving all that way and then get into a boat and continue on and then what if it's needed in the bay, they need to go all that way to retrive it and bring it back. I guess the best way and the most expensive is to have more firemen in that area and a second boat. __________________ There is nothing better than living on Alton Mountain & our grand kids visits.