Firefighters need tools to help save lives. And when you live and work in a waterfront community, that includes public safety out on the water.

The City of Canandaigua Fire Department launched its first-ever fire rescue boat last month and has already responded to more than a dozen lake emergencies. They can be out on the water within three minutes.

What You Need To Know

  • The City of Canandaigua Fire Department is a combination department that is comprised of a volunteer hose company, career firefighters and career fire chief

  • CFD operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year

  • The fire rescue boat is located at City Pier on Canandaigua Lake

“Our fire station is right on Main Street so we are only a couple blocks away,” said Canandaigua City Fire Chief Frank Magnera. “This weekend with it being the Fourth of July I am going to have a detail of two to three firefighters doing four to six-hour blocks at a time to be out and about and available. It’s going to be dependent on weather but it looks like it’s going to be nice. It will be busy here."

Before they got the funds and approval to purchase the used fire boat, Magnera says they actually borrowed boats from a marina or a boater nearby to respond to any lake emergencies. This vessel is now at the ready right at City Pier for emergencies on the lake or shoreline up to the Gorham line. It can pump unlimited water right from the lake to fight cottage, house, dock or boat fires.

“We can do all sorts of stuff. We have medical equipment,” Magnera said. “We have a floating backboard. We have all been trained in surface water rescue and we practice that every year. Many of our members are swift water and all ice water trained. You name it out here and we are prepared for it.”

That’s the thing about emergencies, you just never know what or when they’re going to happen. As we head into the busy boating and swimming season, the City of Canandaigua Fire Department has another public safety tool to help.

Magnera says the City of Canandaigua bought the 25-foot Boston Whaler, trailer and fire pump from the Hamburg Water Rescue Unit for $20,000 with funding from the city capital budget.