The response vessels of CMTAA member companies are specialized boats that are selected for their effectiveness and efficiency for operation in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.  All boats are operated by U.S. Coast Guard licensed captains who are highly trained and skilled in marine towing.  It is not uncommon for boats who are on patrol or in the process of responding to a non-distress assistance call to be in the vacinity of a distress call.  In those cases, captains are fully capable of handling first aid, lifesaving, or recovery of victims or property and relaying necessary information to land and marine based agency responders.

Typical equipment on vessels include:

Heavy towline
GPS
Mulitiple VHF Radios
Radio direction finding capabilities
High capacity dewatering pumps
Hole patching materials
Multiple anchors
Jumpstart capability
First Aid materials

Many of our companies maintain stocks of liftbags and oil containment equipment that may be loaded onto marine units for a marine response or moved by land for dockside response.