New SD Lifeguard Boat to Assist Rescues, Fight Fires

San Diego lifeguards on Friday unveiled a new state-of-the-art boat to help protect the area’s beaches.

Called Marine 3, the 38-foot vessel will be used as both a rescue boat and a dive platform for searches. The boat also can assist in fighting fires. It has a hose that can spray 1,200 gallons of water per minute, more than double the capacity of the current boats.

It’s the third boat in the city’s lifeguard fleet and the first that city has purchased in more than a decade.

At the unveiling ceremony for the boat, San Diego Mayor Kevin Falconer called it a crucial asset for the city’s lifeguards.

He said the boat would allow the city to provide “even better public safety.”

“Much like our firefighting helicopters, this boat will be used in mutual aid all along the waterfront,” he said. “And that’s significant because there are few resources of this caliber available all around San Diego County.”

The boat cost $812,000 and 50 lifeguards have been trained to use it.

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