05/31/2026
🚒🚤 Arkansas Fire Boat School 2026 🚤🚒
Lake Hamilton Fire was proud to be a part of another outstanding Arkansas Fire Boat School this year. We were honored to have two Lake Hamilton Fire boat crews participate in the training, gaining valuable hands-on experience and strengthening their skills alongside agencies from across the state.
We would like to recognize Assistant Chief Chris Fee, who served as an instructor during the school, teaching a Scene Preservation class alongside Chief Aston with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Their expertise helped provide students with critical knowledge for protecting and documenting incident scenes on the water.
We also want to recognize Chief Davey, and retired Assistant Chief Bill Heck who both worked in the Incident Command Post, helping coordinate operations and contributing to the overall success of the event.
The school showcased tremendous regional cooperation, with four other Garland County fire departments represented and participating in the training. Working together allowed all of us to share experiences, build relationships, and gain valuable knowledge that will help us better serve our communities.
A special thank you goes to Pafford Emergency Medical Services, whose partnership was instrumental to the success of the school. Eleven Pafford paramedics attended and trained aboard seven different fire boats, including both Lake Hamilton Fire boats, as well as the Piney, Jessieville, Hot Springs Village, Joplin, and Lake Village fire boats. Their participation strengthened the medical component of the training and enhanced the realism of many of the scenarios.
We would also like to recognize Garland County Department of Emergency Management and Garland County 911 Emergency Communications Center for allowing staff to attend and assist throughout the school. Their continued support of emergency responder training is greatly appreciated.
Finally, thank you to the Arkansas Fire Boat School Committee for the countless hours of planning, coordination, and hard work that went into hosting another exceptional training event. The professionalism and dedication of everyone involved made this school a tremendous success.
Training like this strengthens our ability to respond safely and effectively on the water, and we are grateful for the opportunity to learn alongside so many outstanding public safety professionals.
