Hovercraft

The Pewaukee Fire Department took delivery of a Hovercraft manufactured by Hovercraft America of Germantown, Wisconsin in March of 1996. It was donated to the Department by our local Rotary Club. They did fund raisers, with the assistance of the Fire Department, to raise about $30,000 to purchase the Craft.

The training required to fly the Craft had started in the previous summer. Additional pilots were trained as soon as we took delivery. It takes about 20 hours of flying time to be considered a pilot on one of our rescue teams. Additional training was necessary to become familiar with operations in different types of weather and with different surfaces over which the craft could be flown. It is able to operate over land, water, mud, ice and snow. Each surface that the craft is flown over will affect the operation and speed.

The Hovercraft has changed the operations used by the Department when doing water or ice rescues. It is now possible to quickly and safely get from shore to any location on our lake, which is approximately 1 mile by 5 miles. In the past, it could take a long time with ropes, ladders and boats to get to a victim who had fallen thru the ice. Now we can fly out to them in a matter of minutes.

Currently, firefighter Greg Derusha is in charge of the unit and its operation. The Hovercraft has affectionately been named "The DarleyCraft", given the affection that we have for our front line engines.

Anyone wanting more information about this unit or its operation, contact Acting Chief Kevin Bierce at the Central Fire Station, 262-523-4616.

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