Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Department Adds New Rescue Raft To Expand Water Response Capabilities

MECHANICSVILLE, Md. — The Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Department has placed a new inflatable rescue raft into service, expanding the department’s ability to respond to swiftwater, floodwater and shallow-water emergencies.

Raft 2 officially entered active service Monday, June 1, following months of training and preparation by department members.

The new vessel is a 2025 INMAR 380-SR inflatable boat measuring 12 feet, 6 inches long. It features Hypalon-neoprene construction, a durable aluminum floor and a 30-horsepower Tohatsu four-stroke outboard motor equipped with a specialized prop guard for personnel safety.

The raft and motor weigh about 350 pounds, making the craft light enough for crews to hand-carry it to launch points when a traditional boat ramp is not available.

Department officials said the addition is especially important for incidents involving swiftwater, floodwater and areas with extremely shallow water, where larger boats may not be able to deploy quickly or safely.

Raft 2 will be towed by one of the department’s utility vehicles and will respond with the department’s heavy rescue squad, Squad 2. The setup is designed to allow water rescue personnel to arrive already suited up and ready for immediate deployment.

Members spent several months training with the raft and outfitting it with specialized rescue equipment before it was placed into service.

The purchase was funded entirely through community support during the department’s annual public auction fundraiser last summer.