BOWDOINHAM

Bowdoinham first responders are now better able to keep the town’s nearly 5 square miles of water safe, thanks to the addition of its first-ever boat.

The boat purchased last month and already put it to good use. Fire Chief Arthur Frizzle said the boat had been used twice in less than three weeks.

The first rescue was for a kayaker. Frizzle said the individual had fallen into the water and began drifting out with the tide near Centers Point towards Brick Island. The kayaker was unfamiliar with the area, a situation that can be common during the summer tourist season.

The second rescue occurred when a woman had fallen in the water near a mooring at the Town Landing, and her husband was unable to pull her back aboard their craft.

“In both cases we were able to deploy quickly and assist in getting them out of the water and back to shore safely,” said Frizzle.

It’s the department’s first-ever water vessel, he said, and a much-needed addition.

“Previously we could depend on the local fisherman that worked the rivers as well as Topsham Fire to assist if a boat was needed,” said Frizzle. “Unfortunately, the fisherman are no longer here and although Topsham is still a great mutual aid resource we need to do the best we can to ensure a quick response when the situation arises.”

In making his case to selectmen about the need for a boat, Frizzle cited increased water recreation and noted the department had about six incidents — either fires on Brick Island or requests for emergency medical services — during the last five years. All needed the use of a boat.

The island has become a popular camping site, and Frizzle said the need for response to the island is now higher than in previous years.

“Prior to that, I can only recall two incidents going back to 1980,” said Frizzle. “It is definitely a long overdue asset for Bowdoinham that has already proven its worth in just three weeks.”

A boat eases concerns for Frizzle and his department when it comes to reaching various locations in Bowdoinham’s estimated 4.7 square miles of water.

“Bowdoinham Fire Rescue has never had a boat even,” said Frizzle, “though we have many miles of shoreline between the Cathance, Abagadasset and Kennebec rivers in addition to Brick Island and the sands.”

The 13-foot boat was purchased from the town of Brunswick for $5,000, paid for by Bowdoinham’s Fire Rescue Association.

Bowdoinham has fire department members who are either retired Coast Guard or have taken the national boating course. They will serve as the primary responders when the boat is needed for a call, while the rest of the personnel are trained.

The department has most of the needed equipment — including cold-water rescue suits and safety vests — for the boat, and the recent addition of a quick attack fire truck has opened space for the boat at the fire garage. It will be housed there and hitched to a truck when needed.

Frizzle noted that because it is a former municipal vehicle, the boat has been highly maintained while lightly used.

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