Ithica Fire Department / October 27, 2026
ITHACA, NY, October 20, 2026– Ithaca Fire is excited to announce the delivery of its new fire boat from Lake Assault Boats in Superior, Wisconsin. IFD serves the south end of Cayuga Lake, and this craft will fill a significant rescue and firefighting gap on the lake and along its shores. It is highly capable and replaces an old, failing boat that IFD has at times struggled to keep afloat and in service.
The need for a more advanced and capable fire boat has existed for a long time. IFD is often called to the lake for boat fires, sinking boats, and fire and medical emergencies on the water and along the shore. Firefighting (both structure and vegetation) along the west and east shores can be difficult because of limited road access, steep terrain, and water supply issues. The asset will dramatically improve our ability to help. It can fight fire with its on-board water cannon, supply on-shore fire apparatus, or deploy hose lines directly from the boat. Marine 1 will be available to our mutual aid partners on Cayuga Lake and will be stationed at the Alan Treman Marina.
Some statistics:
• 26 feet in length, aluminum hull
• Powered by two 250 horsepower Yamaha outboards
• The fire pump is a 5.3 liter GMC V8 engine flowing more than 1250 gallons-per-minute
• Technology includes forward-looking infrared, sonar, powerful lighting, charting, and radar
Funding for the new boat began with a $250,000 state grant that was allocated by Senator Lea Webb in 2024. The City of Ithaca Common Council voted in November 2024 to fund the other half of the cost, and the project moved forward. Since it is so late in the season, the boat will be tested on Cayuga Lake briefly and then stored over the winter. Extensive training will take place in early spring to ensure its safe and effective operation for many years to come.
Ithaca Fire thanks Senator Webb, the Ithaca Common Council, Lake Assault Boats, and members of the department who worked to make this a reality!
photo: Ithica Fire Department Facebook
