KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 29 -- Thanks to the quick work and generosity of Mercury Marine, Fond du Lac, Wis., and Triton Boats, Ashland City, Tenn., Tennessee wildlife officers were recently able to save more than 200 people from flood-ravaged New Orleans.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission today honored Mercury Marine and Triton Boats with two resolutions marking the companies' donations of product to support Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. The presentation took place at the Holiday Inn Select in Cedar Bluff.
Dave Marlow, director of product integrity of the Brunswick Boat Group headquartered in Knoxville, received the framed resolutions from Ed Carter, chief of boating of the TWRA.
"We were impressed by Mercury and Triton's responsiveness," said Carter. "In a matter of hours, we had 10 fully rigged boats, equipped with life jackets and other safety equipment, fueled and ready to go. We are extremely grateful for Mercury and Triton's prompt assistance in the wake of such a disaster."
On Sept. 1, the 40-horsepower, FourStroke EFI engines left Mercury's headquarters and arrived the following day at Triton's aluminum boat plant in Prairie, Miss. The engines were rigged on 10, shallow-water Triton 1648 SFB. The boats were then taken by trailer by trained TWRA personnel to the disaster area.
Mercury Marine also provided New Orleans parish deputies with 10 Mercury inflatable boats rigged with 9.9-horsepower, FourStroke engines. In addition, Mercury joined forces with Sea Pro Boats to rig five, shallow-draft skiffs perfectly suited for such rescue and recovery efforts.
At the initiative of Brunswick and Walt Disney World, the US Marine Division of the Brunswick Boat Group delivered nine Trophy center console boats powered by Mercury engines to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA used the boats to shuttle refugees, officials and medical supplies in New Orleans. US Marine makes Bayliner, Maxum and Trophy boats. All donated Brunswick boats and engines are still in use in the disaster area.