On behalf of the Naples Fire Association and the Naples Fire Department I would like to thank the residents, taxpayers and visitors to the town of Naples for your support of our organization and most recent project, a new rescue boat for Long Lake.

With the help of generous donations and support, the Naples Volunteer Fire Association was able to purchase a 25-foot surplus U.S. Coast Guard Defender Class aluminum boat for use on Long Lake, Brandy Pond and Sebago Lake by our department. It will replace an aging surplus inflatable “lifeboat” and will be docked on the Naples Causeway.

Over the last two months our members have worked tirelessly painting and upgrading the boat for fire department use, including adding a fire pump that can pump over 500 gallons per minute.

I’d like to personally thank Chief Chris Pond, Deputy Chief Andy Burnham, Capt. Ephrem Paraschak and firefighter Dana Turcotte for the extra time they put into the project, in addition to many other members of the fire department who worked on it. Also a big thank you to Hartford Communications, Moose Landing Marina and the U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team at Buzzard’s Bay, Massachusetts. Without the dedicated efforts of these people we would not be able to provide this piece of apparatus to better protect the citizens of Naples.