City of Lawrenceburg, LFD Christen New Fire Boat

The boat is named after Lawrenceburg's first fire chief.

Photo by the City of Lawrenceburg.

(Lawrenceburg, Ind.) - A Christening took place last Saturday morning on the Ohio River in Lawrenceburg. 

The City of Lawrenceburg and Lawrenceburg Fire Department Christened Fire Boat 4, the A.D. Cook. 

Late in 2016, LFD was approached by the Dearborn County Sheriff's Office about their boat they received via a DCF Grant. It was no longer in use, so they wanted to donate back to the city and the city agreed. LFD researched training for its firefighters which was limited in the state of Indiana, and the department trained its firefighters to Swiftwater technician level certification. Since 2016, LFD has responded to multiple boat fires, jumpers and more on the Ohio river since acquiring the initial boat.

In 2023, the City was awarded a Port Security Grant for the boat that was Christened on Saturday. 

The boat is named after A.D. Cook, who was born in Germany in 1850. Cook moved to America as a child and grew up in Lawrenceburg. 

As a youth he learned the trade of “Tinner.” He began operating as a machinist and 1881 invented the Cooks Patent Well Strainer and later led the operation of  A.D. Cook Pump Co.

During the mid to late 1800’s several businessmen of Lawrenceburg discovered a need to establish a fire department within the city. A.D. Cook led the charge for the new department in 1882 and was the First Fire Chief for the City of Lawrenceburg.