Hovercraft Rescue Report

NORTON FIRE DEPT

Date: February 2010
Rescued: Ice Fisherman
Pilots & Rescue Team: Norton and Tauton Fire Departments

Hovercraft Rescue Praised
By Meredith Holford Norton Mirror Posted Mar 12, 2010 @ 01:08 PM Norton

Fire Chief Richard Gomes said the rescue in Taunton last month of an ice fisherman has brought calls into the station about Norton’s hovercraft, the vehicle that was called into action when the Taunton rescue personnel had trouble getting to the stranded man.

Firefighters from both towns assisted with the emergency, and managed to pull the fisherman to safety from the middle of Watson Pond, but only after the Norton crew arrived with their rare rescue boat.

“We have reason to crow,” said Town Manager James Purcell, pointing out the recent house fire on Holly Road and the ice rescue were examples of the expertise and heroism of the Norton force.

Both incidents were successful for the victims involved. Even the ice fisherman, who was in the freezing water an hour, made it out of the situation without permanent injury.

“It took 15 minutes from here to getting the victim out,” said Gomes of the Taunton incident. “It was pretty amazing.”

He explained the unusual piece of equipment was critical, because in the soft ice, rescuers were running out of time, continually breaking through the surface and tiring quickly.

“This could be a tragedy or a victory,” he said. “His core body temperature was 70 degrees. As temperature drops, a person has very little control over muscles. They can’t swim or hold themselves up.”

Gomes said since the well-publicized rescue, the deputy chief had reported a spate of calls about the hovercraft from all over New England.

He explained the boat is more than 20 years old now, purchased after a small child died after a fall through soft ice in 1987.

“The community came together,” he said, adding many had not realized what an important piece of equipment a rescue boat could be until that time, and questioned the cost.

“What is a life worth?” said selectmen Chairman Tim Giblin.

He reported seeing people on the fast melting Reservoir ice just the past weekend, still ice fishing in the advancing warmer weather.

“It’s pretty scary,” he said.

Selectmen Vice Chairman Robert Kimball recalled he had been a selectman when the craft was first called into action, and said, “It paid for itself in one time. It could be a human, a dog, an animal — anything.”

NORTON FIRE DEPT

Date: February 2010 Rescued: Ice Fisherman Pilots & Rescue Team: Norton and Tauton Fire Departments

Hovercraft Rescue Praised By Meredith Holford Norton Mirror Posted Mar 12, 2010 @ 01:08 PM Norton