Eagle's new hovercraft
New Hope Gazette
By:SANDRA D'AMBROSIO
02/22/2001

 
Eagle Fire Company, New Hope, has a new hovercraft, a vehicle that rides over ice, water, blacktop and grass. And, it can float like a boat.

The craft arrived two months ago, and the fire company personnel are completing their training, which must be done before the craft can be used.
All is expected to be ready this spring. The bright yellow craft was built by Hovercraft Concepts of Miami, Fla., and was purchased for the fire company with a $60,000 grant from State Representative Chuck McIlhinney's office (R-142).

Firefighter Shawn Zubler, Assistant Chief Craig Forbes and Financial Director Keith McMillen traveled to Miami to train with the new craft, and they brought it back to New Hope. The craft holds up to five people, or 1,000 pounds, and runs on gasoline. It is towed to the scene on a trailer that rotates to direct the vehicle. Once the craft is started, it "flies" off the trailer and hovers on a cushion of air twelve inches above the ground.
"The bottom of the craft is smooth and flat and has no propellers or fans to injure anyone who might be swept underneath," Zubler said. The hover mechanism is in the upper part of the back of the craft, well away from the surface of the water.

Eight firefighters underwent three 10-hour training sessions at the New Hope firehouse and in the swift waters of the Delaware River. The river training is essential, because the rescuers must know how the craft will react under local river conditions.

Fred Williamson, president of the fire company, said, "For years New Hope did not have the equipment to rescue people trapped in the river."
Williamson said the hovercraft will supplement the Lambertville-New Hope Rescue Squad's new airboat, which performs rescues in the water but is limited on ice.

The rescue squad and the fire company personnel are considering joint training sessions with the hovercraft and the airboat. The craft will be available to any other municipalities in the area who need it. Upper Makefield, just south of New Hope, also has a hovercraft. In conjunction with the new hovercraft, the fire company has received two new red "Gumby" suits through a private donation by Scannapieco Builders.   Battalion Chief John Newfield stressed the importance of the suits. "They keep the rescuer dry and warm in cold water," he said.