CITY OF NEWBURGH – The city’s new fireboat was called on to perform its first rescues - two boats stranded in the Hudson River Monday night.

Assistant city fire Chief John Ryan said the two pleasure boats had dead batteries and were drifting in the river. The first call came in at 9:48 p.m. and the second call at 10:13 p.m.

Firefighters towed both boats to shore along Front Street. Ryan said the boat was patrolling on the river during the city’s fireworks display. Four people were aboard each of the stranded boats.

Just last Wednesday city officials and Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney celebrated the arrival of the sophisticated, $345,000 boat – 28 feet long, compared to the converted 21-foot fishing boat the department previously used.

The boat was paid for by a $249,000 Department of Homeland Security grant, with the balance from benefactors including Orange County, the Kaplan Family Foundation, Global Partners LLP and NY Waterway, which runs the Newburgh-Beacon ferry.