New York State Senator Pete Harckham announced today that the purchase of a new fireboat for the Croton-on-Hudson Fire Department was made possible through a $100,000 State Senate grant he secured. Harckham visited the Croton Yacht Club recently to inspect the new vessel.
“Properly supporting our first responders is essential to ensuring the safety of our communities,” said Harckham. “Each municipality and its first responders all have unique needs, and I work to be able to secure financial resources to help provide effective support in the safeguarding of our residents. I’m proud to have secured funding for this vital asset, which will enable the Croton Fire Department to continue its critical rescue operations.”
The new fireboat is a state-of-the-art vessel equipped with an enclosed cabin for a crew of four firefighters trained in water rescues, as well as space for up to 10 other individuals. The dual 300-horsepower V8 Mercury outboard motors are more fuel efficient and environmentally friendly than the older 2-stroke motors and can power the boat up to 50 mph over the water. Advanced radar, sonar, GPS, radio, and thermal imaging technologies enable swift identification of vessels or individuals in distress, and a 1,000-gallon-per-minute fire pump supports operations on water, docks, and inaccessible shorelines.
“Here in Croton-on-Hudson, we aspire to be a high-performing community, providing top level services to our residents every day. To achieve that, we need a fire department with the best equipment we can obtain to ensure the safety of Croton no matter what the calamity,” said Croton-on-Hudson Deputy Mayor Len Simon “To achieve that mission, we need the best partners, and there is no better partner than Senator Pete Harckham because of his hard work and attention to our needs. During this Thanksgiving season, we give great thanks to the brave volunteers of the Fire Department and the continuing leadership of Senator Pete Harckham.”
The Village of Croton-on-Hudson, situated between the Hudson and Croton Rivers, frequently undertakes water rescue missions. The need for a new fireboat arose after the department’s previous vessel, in service for 30 years, was retired in 2021.
“The Hudson River defines much about our community and thousands of people come from near and far to enjoy it. This new, state of the art, fire rescue boat demonstrates the Village’s commitment to protecting these members of the public,” said Croton Fire Chief Joshua A. Karpoff. “We thank State Senator Harckham for his efforts in obtaining grant money towards this purchase and his ongoing support for public safety in our region. This vessel will help equip the highly trained members of the all-volunteer Croton Department with the tools we need to accomplish the important mission of protecting everyone in our community, both on land and out on the water.”
Harckham’s Senate funding is part of the Community Resiliency, Economic Sustainability, and Technology (CREST) program administered by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY), which supports community and economic development initiatives. Since taking office in 2019, Senator Harckham has delivered over $8 million in state grant funding to first responders in the 40th Senate District.
