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3 businesses offer reward in search for missing firefighters

Posted at 7:22 PM, Aug 21, 2019
and last updated 2019-08-22 12:03:05-04

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) - — Three Florida businesses are offering a reward of $30,000 to anyone who finds two firefighters who went missing during a boating trip in the Atlantic Ocean.

The search is continuing for Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department firefighter Brian McCluney and Justin Walker of the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department in Virginia. They left Friday in a 24-foot (7.3-meter) vessel from Port Canaveral.

First Coast News reports Palm Beach Valley Outdoor Bar & Grill in Ponte Vedra Beach, International Marine in Boynton Beach and 1-800-BOARDUP in Jacksonville Beach have each put up $10,000 toward the reward.

Toni Kara of Palm Valley bar says if the reward encourages just one person to go out and find them, "then it's worth every penny."

(Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


Jax Beach company offering $10,000 cash reward for any boater, pilot who finds missing firefighters

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (First Coast News) - Two boaters have been missing since Friday, but search and rescue crews are still hopeful they'll be found alive.

The U.S. Coast Guard is searching an area almost half of Florida's Atlantic coast. The search extends from Cape Canaveral to Jacksonville.

Brian McCluney and Justin Walker were heading toward a fishing spot known as 8A Reef.

Now, 1-800-BOARDUP is offering a $10,000 reward for any boater or pilot who finds the missing firefighters who have been lost at sea for six days as of Wednesday, according to a Facebook post.

The post says in part that:

"Time is of the essence. We want to bring immediate attention to this urgent matter to boaters and pilots outside of the North Florida [area] who might not be aware of this situation or share the conviction of the heart that we have for our local hometown heroes."

The company asks the community to share the message with all coastal marinas and airports in North Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas.

According to a post by the CEO of the company, 1-800-BOARDUP is a nationwide network of firefigters helping those impacted by fires. 1-800-BOARDUP is headquartered in Jacksonville Beach, Florida.

For more information, contact 1-800boardup.com