Gold Coast Yachts Inc. of St. Croix recently completed delivery of the new Ambulance Boat to the Department of Health, according to a press release from Acting Health Commissioner Fern P. Clarke. A dedication ceremony is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, April 9, at the Ambulance Bay at the Morris F. de Castro Clinic. The public is invited.
“We are extremely proud to finally have in place a vessel that would improve medical transport services on the island of St. John, in particular,” Clarke said. “We also are duly proud because it is a first of its kind for the territory in that it is outfitted much like a regular ambulance on the street.”
The department is also pleased that the boat’s manufacturer, Gold Coast Yachts, is virtually minutes away. “The company is right in our backyard and with the sort of unmatched experience honed in over 25 years of service on St. Croix that will bode well for us overall,” the acting commissioner said.
The boat, 48 ft. to 55 ft. in length, is a catamaran-hull design, which ensures a highly stable working platform. In contrast to the Star of Life III, which could only accommodate two patients, the new vessel can transport four to six stretchers and accommodate a crew of five.
“We encourage all Virgin Islands, but especially St. Johnians, to come help us celebrate the future of health care services with a genuine ambulance boat,” Clarke said.