North Myrtle Beach welcomes first amphibious boat

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) - The North Myrtle Beach Rescue Squad added an amphibious search and rescue boat, crafted by Ocean Craft Marine, to its fleet.

Greg Richardson with the North Myrtle Beach Water Rescue Squad said before the boat arrived they would use jet skis for water.

Now he said their crew will be able to save more lives and have a quicker response time.

“If we need a boat, if we have several patients, or heaven forbid one of the parasail boats starts taking on water, and they four or five people in the water,” Richardson said.” “Well, that’s gonna take three or four jet ski crews to get the people back in here. With our boat, we can go out, pick up five, six, seven people if we need to, bring them in, go get another load.”

The North Myrtle Beach Rescue Squad is one of the oldest rescue squads in South Carolina, with water rescue programs beginning in 1958.

The rescue squad is responsible for water rescue to swimmers/boaters in distress, overturned boats, jet ski crashes, aquatic search and rescue, vehicles in the water, medical emergencies on boats, aircraft emergencies involving the water and post-hurricane search and rescue.

The water rescue program evolved into one of the premier ocean and freshwater rescue services in South Carolin.

The team is an active resource for use by the United States Coast Guard, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Horry County Fire Rescue, North Myrtle Beach and Myrtle Beach governments.

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