Somerset Fire Chief Stephen J. Rivard steps up to the podium during the unveiling of a new 450 horsepower fire-patrol boat at J&J Marine Fabricating, in Somerset.

The Providence Journal / Bob Thayer

The new fire-patrol boat leaves a pier in Somerset on its first voyage.

The Providence Journal / Bob Thayer

ON THE TAUNTON RIVER — With a pair of 225-horsepower engines, Somerset’s new fire-police rescue boat doesn’t just speed. It seems to fly.

Designated for use from Berkley, Mass., to Newport, it is equipped to fight on-the-water and near-shore fires, find bridge jumpers, and track down anyone who might be causing mischief along the coast.

It’s so impressive, “this has boaters in the Taunton River pulling themselves over,” said Town Administrator John McAuliffe.

Nearly 50 people showed up Friday at J&J Marine Fabricating on Main Street to see the vessel, built and outfitted with a $230,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

It is still being tested, and both police and fire officials are training with it. The 32-foot vessel is expected to be in regular use in the spring.

Its best feature is its ability to shoot up to 2,000 gallons of river water per minute, which is more than some fire trucks. Currently, burning boats are simply towed to the river and allowed to burn.

Its top speed, with a minimal crew, is about 38 knots – 44 miles per hour. During the dedication Friday afternoon, the boat, with about a dozen people on board, was cruising at about 26 knots. It can hold 26 people.

Fire Chief Stephen J. Rivard said the vessel comes equipped with radar, sonar, night vision, the ability to pump foam on a blaze, and even a thermal imaging system to make it easy to quickly spot a warm body in cold water.

“If someone jumps off a bridge, we can find them earlier,” he said. “This is a very exciting day for Somerset.”

The boat will be available to help police, fire and environmental officials from Berkley and Dighton southward, which is the reason the federal grant was approved, said Rivard. “We have a lot of property to protect.”

“We’re the host community of this vessel and it will with be a regional effort,” said McAuliffe.

Rivard said the real credit for getting the boat goes to police Capt. John Solomito – who had been lobbying for years for the town to get water-emergency craft and who discovered that Homeland Security money might be available for the project – and Deputy Fire Chief Dana K. Hilliard, who joined Solomito in doing the legwork and the paperwork. They also helped get the endorsement of neighboring communities.

Rivard said he and Police Chief Joseph Ferreira “signed papers. That’s all we did,” while Hilliard and Solomito did the real work.

Ferreira said the town’s public safety departments will work with the Coast Guard, environmental police, state police and local harbormasters “to ensure that this is a safe and fun river. We couldn’t be more pleased with the vessel.”