By Caitlyn Freeman
The Seattle Times

SEATTLE — The Seattle Fire Department is adding a new tool to its water rescue arsenal: two customized Sea-Doos.

The Jet Ski-like personal watercraft were donated to the department by the Seattle Fire Foundation as part of the department’s new rescue watercraft program. The goal of the program, which began on Monday, is simple: speed up water rescue response times.

“As we all know, every second counts in a response [and in the] worst cases that can be a lifesaving difference, a matter of seconds,” Foundation Board Member Samuel Murr said. “So these will help cut down the time to respond. We can get folks on the scene faster to start extrication or support.”

The watercraft will be kept at the Leschi North Moorage on Lake Washington and will cost the foundation about $64,000, a Fire Department spokesperson said in an email.

During a news conference Monday afternoon, fire Chief Harold Scoggins said the Sea-Doos create “almost limitless possibilities” as they expand the distance rescue divers can travel. Currently, divers are only certified to swim 300 feet offshore.

The department sees an average of 70 water rescues per year, a news release states.

“It means a lot to the community,” Scoggins said, standing on the docks. “We’re so fortunate here in Seattle to have a fire foundation that supports the men and women of the Seattle Fire Department. And this donation today is another testament to that.”

To use the Sea-Doos, which can go up to 52 mph, firefighters at Station 5 underwent 20 hours of training. Dietrich Hauge, the fire captain overseeing the program, said the department decided to store the Sea-Doos in the Leschi marina because it is central to Lake Washington.

He said driving 3 miles from the fire station on Seattle’s waterfront to the marina takes six to eight minutes when using lights and sirens. Once there, it takes another couple of minutes for firefighters to suit up and get the Sea-Doos on the water.

Both Sea-Doos are deployed during each rescue as one vessel has a driver and diver and the other takes a support role. The victim can either board the Sea-Doo with the driver or latch onto a sled-like device on the back of the watercraft.

Hauge said the overall reaction among firefighters using the Sea-Doos has been positive. He said there’s potential to add them to other stations in the city, depending on how the first year at Station 5 goes.

“I think a lot of people have recognized that this is a service that we can provide the community that we can improve on,” he said.

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SEATTLE (AP) — Luis Castillo limited Toronto to two hits over a dominant 6 2/3 innings, Luke Raley had a two-run double in the third and the Seattle Mariners beat the Blue Jays 2-1 on Friday night.

Seattle Mariners 2, Toronto Blue Jays 1: Box Score

Castillo (7-9) was nearly untouchable in his 200th career start, retiring each of the first nine Blue Jays hitters, and not allowing a hit until Kevin Kiermaier hit a solo home run with one out in the sixth.

Castillo’s only blemish before Kiermaier’s homer was a leadoff walk to Toronto first baseman Spencer Horwitz in the fourth inning.

After Kiermaier made it one-run game with a 379-foot shot to right field, Horwitz quickly hit a single back up the middle for Toronto’s final hit of the night. But Castillo escaped trouble, with Bo Bichette hitting into an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play.

Castillo departed to a standing ovation after walking Daulton Varsho in the seventh, having allowed one run on two hits, with eight strikeouts.

A big reason for Castillo’s success was a new grip for his slider, which made his already tough pitch come in a few miles per hour slower than usual and threw Toronto’s hitters off-balance.

“It helps a lot, the fastball coming in around 96, 97, and that changeup coming in around 85,” Castillo said. “But then this new slider that I’ve got coming in even slower, it gives me three different varieties of speed to play with. It just keeps them on their toes.”

Austin Voth and Ryne Stanek combined for 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief, and Andrés Muñoz pitched the ninth for his 14th save.

“These guys pitch,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “They’re up there with the best arms in the league. There weren’t many opportunities.”

The Mariners struck first when Raley clubbed the double off Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman (6-8) in the third.

Cal Raleigh drew a two-out walk, and Julio Rodríguez reached base on an infield single. Rodríguez was originally called out on a throw from third baseman Ernie Clement, but the call was overturned on replay.

Manager Scott Servais credited replay coordinator Andy Bissell for seeing that Horwitz had come off the bag, which put Rodríguez aboard and kick-started the rally.

“It turned out to be a huge call in the game tonight,” Servais said. “Hats off to (Bissell). That is a tough job. It happens super fast and he’s on top of it and helped us win a game tonight,”

One batter later, Raley hit a fastball to the left-center field gap to put the Mariners up 2-0.

“It’s important for us to start getting some guys in and scoring some runs for our pitchers,” Raley said. “Even two runs, we still need to keep putting up more runs, but it’s nice the last two days to see us break through and get a couple of those big hits.”

Gausman finished with two earned runs allowed on six hits over six innings, with 10 strikeouts.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Blue Jays: SS Bo Bichette was back in the lineup Friday after being scratched Thursday with a right forearm contusion … RHP Yimi Garcia (elbow) will make a rehab start on Saturday after Triple-A Buffalo.

Mariners: RHP Bryan Woo (hamstring) will make a rehab start in Single-A Everett on Saturday, while RHP Gregory Santos will make an Everett rehab appearance in relief.

ROSTER MOVE

Toronto recalled RHP Ryan Burr from Triple-A Buffalo, and optioned RHP Jose Cuas.

UP NEXT

Blue Jays RHP Yariel Rodríguez (0-3, 4.63 ERA) will start Saturday against RHP Emerson Hancock (3-3, 4.79 ERA).

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