The City of Manitowoc wants to update the Manitowoc Fire Department’s boat fleet.
The common council approved applying for a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant at Monday’s meeting.
A memo from Fire Chief Todd Blaser says the fire department was notified in March this year that there will be no Coast Guard presence in Manitowoc County because of staffing issues with the United States Coast Guard.
Mayor Justin Nickels said on WOMT’s Be My Guest program that if an emergency were to happen, the city would need to call in US Coast Guards stationed in Sheboygan or Sturgeon Bay.
He says while there haven’t been many issues on either Lake Michigan or the Manitowoc River, the city would only be able to provide limited help if an emergency were to happen.
The boat that the city would want would be bigger and more up to date than the two boats they have now.
The anticipated award date is set for September 30th.