The new SAFE boat that the Hingham Harbormaster’s Office received through a Homeland Security grant arrived a few weeks ago and has been patrolling the waters of Hingham. Both Harbormaster Kenneth Corson III and Deputy Harbormaster Mark Brennan have been pleased with the boat’s performance and the additional capabilities it brings to the department.

During a recent night training exercise, he and BM2 Gill worked with personnel on Marine 1, while other department members and Coast Guard personnel worked on Marine 2. These exercises were done to reinforce skills in boat towing and “man overboard” rescue. Gill explained that training needs to be continuous and needs to be done in all kinds of conditions. “No two rescues are alike.” While these may seem like routine skills to Coast Guard and Harbormaster personnel, she said constant training is essential. Brennan added that “harbormasters do a lot of towing of disabled boats. This training helps so all local departments and the Coast Guard do it the same way.”

Some of the technology used during the training included the new Forward Looking Infrared camera (FLIR); a digital underwater camera; an onboard laptop computer that connects directly to the Hingham Police and other Law Enforcement agencies; and the Davit on the stern of the boat. The FLIR enables the Harbormaster to see heat sources in the water or in boats, which is useful for search and rescue and law enforcement.