Anderson County Acquires New Emergency Response Boat

ANDERSON COUNTY, SC (August 23, 2023) – Public safety efforts in and around the major lakes in our region are now greatly enhanced, thanks to Anderson County’s acquisition and deployment of a specially-equipped “all-in-one” emergency response boat.

“Lake Hartwell attracts more than 11 million visitors yearly, and more than 13,000 Anderson County residents live on the shores of Hartwell, Russell, Broadway, and Secession lakes,” said Anderson County Council Chair Tommy Dunn. “Our Council is entrusted with a tremendous responsibility concerning these assets, and see the deployment of this watercraft as being necessary to ensure the life, safety, and property of our residents and guests.” 

The vessel, a 28-foot-long Lyman Morris landing craft, is now in service on Lake Hartwell and is available for redeployment to other Anderson County lakes as needed. It replaced a watercraft in service since 2005 that no longer met current service demands.

Designed as a multifunctional boat to support fire, EMS, law enforcement, HAZMAT, rescue, and recovery operations, the boat sports a 20hp removable fire pump capable of flowing 630 gallons of water per minute, equipped to support land-based firefighting operations from the water’s edge.

“I cannot overstate the importance of the new boat’s ability to support firefighting efforts,” said Tommy Keaton, Chair of the Anderson County Fire Commission. “It is often difficult for fire apparatus to reach shoreline structures, so this new tool will certainly enhance our efforts to save lives and protect property.”

Aquatic rescue and recovery efforts will benefit from the availability of the vessel’s Davit crane (capable of hoisting 3,000 lbs.), 360° scene lighting system, and advanced sonar equipment.

“The boat’s features will greatly improve the dive team’s efforts during rescue operations, in those times when every second counts,” said Anderson County Sheriff Chad McBride. “Our recovery efforts are also important because they can provide peace of mind to families, so we are thankful for any new available resources that will help us in our mission.”

Emergency Response Boat Operations are supervised by the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Management Division in partnership with the Anderson Technical Rescue Team, Anderson County Fire Department, Anderson County EMS, and the Sheriff’s Office Marine Division. The vessel is available for deployment to partner jurisdictions under the terms of existing mutual-aid agreements. Funding for the new vessel was provided by the Anderson County Council through its annual budgeting process.

Other features of the Emergency Response Boat include:

•             Hummingbird Apex 19 Sonar & Navigation System

•             Marine and Public Safety Radios

•             LTE connectivity for data and location tracking from central dispatch

•             Twin 250hp Yamaha motors

A public demonstration of the Emergency Response Boat will be held at 10 AM on Friday, August 25, at Green Pond Landing and Event Center, 470 Green Pond Road, Anderson.

Anderson County continues to focus efforts on expanding the growth of Lake Hartwell both for recreational activities and community events. The emergency response boat will service the needs of the community as we continue to grow.