There’s a Crucial Need for a New Rescue Boat in Twin Falls

The agency’s old pontoon boat is showing its age.  It was already showing signs 30 years ago.  The boat is used in recovering drowning victims, which allows closure for families.  The public may not be aware, but the Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office goes on the road when it comes to its water resources.  Often traveling as far as eastern Idaho, Elmore County, and across the state line into Elko County.

The boat has high-tech expenses

Pontoon boats were once fairly simple craft.  When I was a boy, I had neighbors who collected barrels and built their own.  You would’ve described them as glorified rafts.  Search boats require high-tech equipment that can supply a picture of often deep and muddy water.  It helps locate victims, obstructions and protects the divers.

The state has a fund collected from various boating fees, but there’s a long line looking to tap a limited resource.  Because there’s no guarantee that Twin Falls County will be awarded a grant from the fund, deputies are appealing for other possibilities.  There are foundations, charities, and businesses in the Magic Valley that have stepped up in the past.  Perhaps someone reading this today could make a gracious donation.

A generous public could solve the dilemma

In fact, beyond the valley, there may be someone with a big heart, because as I’ve written, the boat and team do travel, and while we pray they won’t be needed, most of us are aware that by the first holiday weekend, when the weather improves, there’s usually a call for service.