Brookfield's Unique Fireboat Protects Candlewood Boaters, Homes

While most of the emergency departments in towns on Candlewood Lake have some sort of watercraft, Brookfield’s Candlewood Fire Company boasts the “Pride of the Lake Side,” a 26-foot fireboat capable of saving boaters in distress, dousing multiple fires — both on the lake and on land — and even refill the water tanker trucks, all at the same time.

Marine 25 is unique among emergency vessels on Candlewood Lake, not only for its high-powered water gun on the deck, but also because of a special diverter valve that allows the crew to use the gun, feed firehoses and continue to move about without interruption.

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Watch video of Marine 25 and the powerful water gun in action.
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Deploying from a central location on the lake — just south of Candlewood Shores Beach — the fireboat can easily access any of Brookfield’s lakeside properties within five minutes and often assists neighboring New Milford, New Fairfield and Danbury.

“The dive team loves it,” according to Candlewood Fire Capt. Jeff Dunkerton, as the wide, flat deck allows them to “just throw all their gear in and go.”

The boat is used mostly for rescues and injuries, as well as assistance battling lakeside fires, as fires on the lake itself are pretty rare.

The fireboat requires a crew of at least three to man and all Candlewood Company members are trained on how to use it.