Fire board news: Yes on airboat; no on speed-up Fire board news: Yes on airboat; no on speed-up (May 26, 2004)

The Menlo Park Fire Protection District will buy a new air boat to replace the 12-year-old model that rescues stranded boaters, crashed airplanes and others over 11 square miles of marsh and salt ponds in the Bay.

The district board on May 18 authorized purchase of the new model for $43,285; the district has been accumulating the funds over the last three years. The vote was 3-2, with directors Del Krause and John Osmer voting no after saying that the boat is too expensive in a tough budget year.

"People go out there and get stuck," said Chief Harold Schapelhouman. "We're the only craft that can get out there."

At the same meeting, the board turned down a proposal to spend $91,204 to override traffic signals on Willow Road so that fire engines could get through the frequent bottlenecks faster.

The Opticom system would allow fire engines to turn traffic lights green as they approached. Menlo Park has a grant to install the system, but the district had to contribute.

E-mail a friend a link to this story.