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McKeesport police and firefighters are getting an early Christmas present. But the new river rescue boat that's being delivered this week is "not a toy," said Chuck Margliotti, city firefighter.

"It's serious equipment, and you can tell by the construction of it," he said this week at a city council work session. "It's ruggedly built and it's significantly more than a pleasure craft."

Maybe it should be called a "business craft." With two 300-horsepower V-8 engines, a 2,000-gallon-per-minute fire pump and a top speed of about 50 mph, this boat means serious business.

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Margliotti and city fire Capt. Jim Shields recently returned from visiting the manufacturer, Harbor Guard Boards of Corona, Calif. During a test on Southern California's Lake Elsinore, the 24-foot boat "performed beautifully," Margliotti said.

"It's not the Cadillac, top-of-the-line boat, but it's not a stripped-down model, either," he said.

Paid for with a federal grant, the boat will be used for river rescues on the Youghiogheny River and on the Monongahela between Elizabeth and Braddock, city officials have said.

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Two side doors fold down to the water line to enable fire and police divers direct access to the water, and to make it easier to pull victims aboard, Margliotti said. The nearly $147,000 boat comes with a 10-year warranty on the hull and a one-year warranty on the drivetrain, and a trailer is also included for road transportation.

The engines can be fueled and serviced at McKees Point Marina, Margliotti said. For the winter, the boat will be stored at Fire Station No. 2 near Renziehausen Park, which also will allow members of the city's river rescue team to familiarize themselves with the equipment and controls.

Margliotti, who serves on the board of Allegheny County's flood and swiftwater rescue team, said the city's dive team currently has 15 members from the police and fire departments who have been trained and certified to rescue people from rivers, streams and flooded areas.

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The entire team hopes soon to achieve official recognition as a regional resource under the Voluntary Rescue Service Recognition program run by the state Fire Commissioner's Office, Department of Health and Fish and Boat Commission. "We're well on our way to having a pretty nice dive team," Margliotti said.

He also thanked former Mayor Jim Brewster, city Administrator Dennis Pittman and council for making the necessary arrangements to receive the grant and purchase the boat. "I can't tell you how much we appreciate it," Margliotti said.

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