Swift Water Rescue Team Launches Fundraiser for Life-Saving Jet Boat
Published 1:30 am Thursday, February 19, 2026
The region’s Swift Water Rescue Team has launched a GoFundMe campaign in hopes of raising funds for a much-needed jet boat—an essential piece of equipment that could dramatically improve emergency response times and save lives on local rivers.
The volunteer team serves as the first line of defense for water emergencies, responding to incidents involving fishermen, families, and tourists who come to enjoy the area’s waterways. Each year, rescuers face unpredictable currents, hazardous debris, and dangerous flood conditions, all while working to protect lives in high-risk situations.
Despite being fully trained and ready to respond, the team says it is significantly underfunded and lacks the proper equipment to safely and quickly access many critical rescue locations. In river emergencies, time is often the biggest factor.
“In river rescues, minutes can mean the difference between life and death,” organizers wrote in the GoFundMe post. “Reaching victims is often the greatest challenge, especially in strong currents, shallow channels, and remote areas.”
Currently, the team relies on a neighboring jurisdiction for access to a jet boat. While that partnership has been helpful, the borrowed equipment is not always available and is not always suited to local river conditions. This dependency can result in dangerous delays when every second counts.
One such incident occurred last year during a joint rescue operation, when three fishermen and their drift boat became pinned against a rock in fast-moving water. With the help of a jet boat, rescuers were able to reach and stabilize the victims quickly. Without that resource, the operation could have taken hours longer, placing both the victims and rescue personnel at far greater risk.
Having their own jet boat, the team says, would be a transformative investment in public safety. It would allow them to respond immediately without waiting for outside resources, navigate shallow and fast-moving waters more safely, operate effectively during floods and high-water events, and significantly reduce rescue times.
All funds raised through the campaign will go directly into the Volunteer Swiftwater Fund and will be used specifically for the purchase of the jet boat, not the district’s general budget. Organizers say this ensures donations will have a direct and measurable impact on water rescue capabilities.
“We are asking for community support to strengthen our ability to serve and protect,” the post states. “Every contribution brings us closer to ensuring that when someone needs help on the water, we can reach them without delay.”
Donations to the fundraiser (Help Our Swift Water Team Get a New Jet Boat) will directly impact response times, safety, and potentially lives saved on local rivers.
