Adding to the rescue toolkit

With the recently thawed lakes and rivers, and fishing season beginning, Cloquet Area Fire District Captain Mike Garbers and firefighter/paramedic Joe Pikul took some time to train with the new rigid-hull inflatable boat that is new to the district's arsenal of response vehicles. Carlton County Emergency Management Director Steve VanKekerix secured a grant that covered the purchase of the $17,000 13-foot AB Inflatables boat, 25-horsepower four-stroke Mercury motor and trailer. While the boat is owned by Carlton County, its intended use is for emergency operations based out of CAFD fire stations. It will be utilized in responses in and around the CAFD coverage area in case of a water emergency or water rescue situation. "We are very appreciative of the efforts of Steve VanKekerix to better equip the CAFD and all Carlton County fire departments," said CAFD battalion chief Jesse Buhs.