New rescue boat obtained for Gainesville Fire-Rescue

Local News

Related Photos

Zodiac to the rescue (© Staff photo by Delania Trigg)

Guest Book

November 30, 2007

Special to the Register The Daily Register Fri Nov 30, 2007, 09:54 AM CST

After the rain the sun shines.

And the sun has recently shone brightly for Gainesville Fire-Rescue after a local group composed of business and industry officials joined together to provide and equip a new water rescue boat.

The boat, a Zodiac Futura, will be a greatly needed tool for firefighters encountering floodwaters such as those experienced on June 18, 2007, according to a press release.

The boat was provided through Weber Aircraft, L.P., whose parent company is Zodiac. Working with Weber officials, former Gainesville Fire-Rescue Battalion Chief Malcom Foster researched and found the optimum boat for water rescue needs was the Zodiac. A call was then made to Weber Aircraft to determine if any assistance could be given in obtaining the boat. The information was relayed to John Walterscheid, vice president and general manager of Weber Aircraft who immediately began the process of obtaining the boat.

Working with Adri Ruiter, President of Weber Aircraft, the two contacted officials with Zodiac and explained the need. The response from Zodiac was an overwhelming answer of “yes.” Zodiac Marine Division provided the Rescue Boat at factory cost to Weber Aircraft for the donation to the Fire Department.

Hearing the story about the boat and the lack of equipment, Joe Odell, president of Plano Machine, and Giles Walterscheid, president of Superior Tooling Products, immediately stepped in and began working on obtaining funding for a motor and related equipment for the boat.

Their efforts paid off immediately with offers of assistance and funds from others in the community. Together, they were able to acquire sufficient funds to cover the costs of the controls and additional equipment for the boat.

One of the first contacts Odell and Walterscheid made was to Joe Wallace, president of North Texas Marine. Wallace quickly offered his company’s services to complete the installation of equipment on the boat. At the same time, Wallace began calling representatives from Suzuki Boat Motors inquiring about the possibility of obtaining a boat motor. Officials from Suzuki responded with an offer to provide the motor at half the cost.

According to Gainesville Fire-Rescue Chief Steve Boone, the boat would add a new dimension to the department’s capabilities.

“We will have immediately available a rescue boat equipped to undertake rescues in swift water,” Boone said. “The process has already started for training our personnel in the use of the new boat and re-developing our swift water rescue team. Gainesville Fire-Rescue cannot begin to express their gratitude to Zodiac, Weber Aircraft, North Texas Marine, Plano Machine and Superior Tooling Products and Suzuki Boat Motors for what they have accomplished for the citizens of Gainesville.”

The boat is to be housed at GainesvilleFire-Rescue Station No. 1. When training on the new equipment is completed and the team established, the unit and team would be available for response, not only in the city but to all areas of Cooke County and the surrounding region.

Text Only

Local News

Gainesville PD joins 'Click It or Ticket' campaign
The 2012 national “Click It or Ticket” seat belt enforcement
mobilization began Monday to help save lives by cracking down on those
who don’t buckle up.

May 24, 2012
Don't let food poisoning ruin your holiday
As with all holiday feasts, Memorial Day cookouts may carry a
heightened risk of food poisoning, depending on the “hows and whats”
of the meal.

May 24, 2012 1 Photo
Education Award Winners
Staff photo by Greg Russell
Gainesville Daily Register Publisher Jim Perry (left) and Assistant
Editor Delania Trigg display awards recently granted to the newspaper
for coverage of education. Perry holds a “Community Member
Recognition” award, granted by Gainesville Independent School
District; and Trigg holds a “School Bell Award,” presented by the
Texas Retired School Personnel Association.

May 24, 2012 1 Photo
Gainesville PD joins 'Click It or Ticket' campaign
The 2012 national “Click It or Ticket” seat belt enforcement
mobilization began Monday to help save lives by cracking down on those
who don’t buckle up.

May 24, 2012
Tallying continues in Gainesville hospital board election
The tallying continues for administrators of the May 12 Gainesville
Hospital District election — who have scheduled a recount for 2:30
p.m. today in the North Texas Medical Center boardroom.

May 23, 2012
Hirings and kind words fill GISD board meeting
Hirings and commendations highlighted Monday’s regular Gainesville ISD
Board of Trustees meeting.

May 23, 2012 1 Photo
Additional Cooke County sentencings released
Jeremiah Johnson Jarvis, convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly
weapon, was sentenced to seven years probation and fined $1,500, plus
$253 in court costs.

May 22, 2012
Letter carriers collect tons of food for VISTO
A Cooke County benefit organization currently has another several
thousand pounds of food to spread among families in need, thanks to
collection efforts by the Gainesville Post Office.

May 22, 2012
'Pink ladies' now seeing red at medical center
For the first time in their history, North Texas Medical Center
Auxiliary members are wearing red.

May 22, 2012 1 Photo
Eclipse over Lake Ray Roberts
Sunday evening’s partial annular eclipse of the sun is shown here as
seen from the Lake Ray Roberts shore during sunset.

May 22, 2012 1 Photo
More Local News Headlines

Who do you think will win the Republican nomination for President?

Local News

Search Results

Related Photos

Guest Book

New rescue boat obtained for Gainesville Fire-Rescue

Who do you think will win the Republican nomination for President?

Site Map

Contact Us