Quinte´s new rescue boat!

(August 12, 2011) - A gleaming new search and rescue vessel dedicated to improving the safety of boaters on the waters of the Bay of Quinte was unveiled by the volunteer members of Quinte Search And Rescue (QSAR).

The vessel, an all-aluminum Kingfisher 29-foot (8.8-metre) craft built by MetalCraft Marine Incorporated, of Kingston, Ontario, and purchased with the help of a generous grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, is QSAR´s first purpose-built rescue vessel.

"This new vessel will assist members of QSAR in their response to emergencies and requests for assistance on the Bay of Quinte. The practice of safety on the water is paramount to enjoying recreational activities," Leona Dombrowsky, MPP, Prince Edward-Hastings, told community leaders gathered at a special ceremony August 12, 2011.

"This new rescue vessel will provide for a safer environment when we enjoy the waters of the beautiful Bay of Quinte. This new vessel will also be far more technologically advanced, which only helps the dedicated volunteers who do so much to help those enjoy the Bay Of Quinte safely," said MPP Lou Rinaldi of Northumberland-Quinte West.

“With its all-weather capability and unique design, this new vessel not only improves our effectiveness as a rescue team but enhances the safety of the volunteers who put themselves at risk on the water,” explained Howard Garrod, QSAR unit chairperson.

“Making this boat a reality has been a true community effort,” Garrod added. “We are very grateful to the Ontario Trillium Foundation for a capital grant, and to the individual and corporate donors who have helped us toward our goal.”

The new vessel was commemorated in the name of Lieutenant Colonel Bruce Albert Sutcliffe, DSO, a soldier from the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment who died on the battlefield in World War II. Members of the regiment and two of Sutcliffe´s surviving children took part in the commemoration ceremony.

Established in 2005 and incorporated in 2008, QSAR is a community-based volunteer organization committed to providing timely marine search and rescue services in the region, and to promoting boating safety and accident prevention on the water. QSAR serves the communities along the Bay of Quinte -- Belleville, Quinte West, Napanee, the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, Deseronto, Prince Edward County and adjacent areas and waters.

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