Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Water Rescue Capabilities topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Owensboro Fire Department details river and water‑rescue assets, training and staffing needs
Summary
Fire department leaders described water rescue assets along the Ohio River and within city basins, recent technology upgrades, mutual‑aid arrangements and a request to expand the swift‑water technician team if the commission approves budget funding.
Battalion Chief Jason Pickrell and Lieutenant Ted Johnston of the Owensboro Fire Department briefed the Board of Commissioners on May 20, 2025, about the department’s water rescue response capabilities, equipment and training needs.
Pickrell said the city faces significant water risks because the Ohio River forms Owensboro’s northern border and the Department’s coverage area spans roughly 50 river miles between local dams. He said the river corridor is heavily trafficked by barges and marine commerce and that Owensboro’s river port handles about 600 barges annually. Mutual aid agreements with Hancock County, Davis County, Ohio Township and Henderson County cover incidents beyond the city’s shoreline.
Pickrell described the department’s marine fleet, including a 28‑foot Firecat rescue boat with a 1,000‑gallon‑per‑minute pump, a heated cabin for hypothermia victims, and a FLIR thermal imaging system used to locate people or vessels at night or in fog. He said that boat can also provide a temporary water source for trucks during infrastructure incidents. The department plans to replace its current fiberglass craft with a larger aluminum vessel in the coming year with a bigger cabin, upgraded electronics, two remoteable monitors and retained FLIR capability.
Other assets include a shallow‑draft aluminum “Rescue 1” connector boat used for search, rescue and recovery, inflatable boats for shallow‑water work and an ice‑rescue “banana boat.” Pickrell also showed sonar imagery (Garmin LiveScope) of vehicles located in the river, demonstrating the search capability of modern sonar equipment.
Lieutenant Johnston summarized training standards and the department’s operational approach: “reach, throw, row, go” — starting with shore‑based tools and progressing through boat operations to the last‑resort tactic of placing a responder in the water. He explained that even slow current speeds can be hazardous and that responders must be trained to read currents and avoid strainers and other river hazards.
Johnston said the department currently has 12 trained swift‑water technicians, with 11 regularly assigned to front‑line trucks. He said the department is seeking to add another 12 trained technicians if the commission approves budget funding so incident responses can routinely be staffed with safe, multi‑member teams; effective swift‑water rescues often require six trained personnel on scene, he said. The department conducts annual skills tests at Lake Nolan and participates in regional exercises including boarding large moving barges for medical access.
The presentation was informational; no formal action was taken. Commissioners thanked the department and emphasized public‑safety priorities for the river corridor.
