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{{Short description|Firefighting vessel}}
{{Unreferenced|date=May 2007}}
{{About|the firefighting vessel|a ship deliberately set on fire|Fire ship}}
] fireboat, ], London]]
]
] in ] ] performing a water pumping demonstration in ] with artificial ] visible]]
]
], Germany]]
]
]
]
]'s ''Ariake'' fireboat]]
] of Buffalo, New York, considered the world's oldest active fireboat]]


A '''fireboat''' or ] is a specialized watercraft with pumps and nozzles designed for fighting shoreline and shipboard fires. The first fireboats, dating to the late 18th century, were ], retrofitted with firefighting equipment.<ref name=NpsDuwamish1988>
] fireboat ''Phoenix''.]]
{{cite news
A '''fireboat''' is a specialized watercraft, often resembling a ], with pumps and nozzles designed for fighting shoreline and shipboard ]s. They are particularly useful for fighting fires on ] and shore side ]s as they can directly attack fires in the supporting underpinnings of these structures. They also have an unlimited supply of water available, pumping directly from below the hull and can be used to assist shore based ]s when other water is in low supply or is unavailable, for example, due to earthquake breakage of water mains, as happened in ] due to the 1989 ].
| url=http://www.nps.gov/history/maritime/nhl/duwamish.htm
| title=Duwamish Fireboat: National Historic Landmark Study
| publisher=]
| year=1988
| author=James Delgado
| author-link=James Delgado
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090505234053/http://www.nps.gov/history/maritime/nhl/duwamish.htm
| url-status=live
| archive-date=2009-05-05
}}</ref>
Older designs derived from tugboats and modern fireboats more closely resembling seafaring ships can both be found in service today. Some departments would give their multi-purpose craft the title of "fireboat" also.


They are frequently used for ] on ] and shore side ]s as they can directly attack fires in the supporting underpinnings of these structures. They also have an effectively unlimited supply of water available, pumping directly from below the hull. Fireboats can be used to assist shore-based firefighters when other water is in low supply or is unavailable, for example, due to earthquake breakage of water mains, as happened in San Francisco due to the ].
Modern fireboats are capable of pumping tens of thousands of ]s of water per ]. The most technologically advanced of these is Fire Boat #2 of the ], the '']'', with the capability to pump up to 38,000 US gallons per minute (2 m³/s) and up to 400 ] (120 m) in the air.

Some modern fireboats are capable of pumping tens of thousands of gallons of water per minute. An example is Fire Boat #2 of the ], the '']'', with the capability to pump up to {{convert|38000|USgal/min|m3/s impgal/min}} and up to {{convert|400|ft|m|0}} in the air.


Fireboats are most usually seen by the public when welcoming a fleet or historical ships with a display of their water moving capabilities, throwing large arcs of water in every direction. Fireboats are most usually seen by the public when welcoming a fleet or historical ships with a display of their water moving capabilities, throwing large arcs of water in every direction.


Occasionally fireboats are used to carry ]s, ]s, and a ] with their equipment to islands and other boats. Also ]s, ]s, and even ]s and ]s are used in fire, rescue and medical emergency situations. They may also carry divers or surface water rescue workers. Passengers from ships in danger can be also transferred to various kind of rescue boats. Rescue boats may be used also for oil and chemical destruction on rivers, lakes and seas<ref>For example, the Helsinki Rescue Department in ], ] has various kinds of boats for various kind of firefighting, rescue, and oil destruction tasks. http://www.hel.fi/pel.</ref>. Occasionally fireboats are used to carry firefighters, ]s, and a physician with their equipment to islands and other boats. Some may be used as ]s, like the ]'s '']'' which can break 8 to 12&nbsp;inch ice.<ref name=ChicagoOfficialVictorSchlaeger>{{cite news
|url = https://www.chicagofireboat.com/BoatGeneralPhotos.asp
|title = The Schlaeger
|publisher = ]
|year = 2008
|archive-date = 2021-04-27
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210427145250/https://www.chicagofireboat.com/BoatGeneralPhotos.asp
|url-status = dead
|access-date = 2009-11-24
}}</ref>
They may also carry divers or surface water rescue workers. Passengers from ships in danger can be also transferred to various kind of rescue boats. Rescue boats may be used also for oil and chemical destruction on rivers, lakes and seas. For example, the Helsinki Rescue Department in ], Finland has different types of boats for various kind of firefighting, rescue, and oil destruction tasks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hel.fi/pel|title=Pelastuslaitos|work=Helsingin kaupunki}}</ref>


Also ]s, ]s, ]s and even ] and ]s are used in fire, rescue and medical emergency situations.
==Gallery of fireboats==
<gallery>
Image:SFFDFBPhoenix.jpg|Recently refurbished, the fireboat ''Phoenix'' has seen long service for the San Francisco Fire Department.
Image:WLMBoat.jpg|City of ] fireboat "William Lyon Mackenzie".
Image:Vigili del Fuoco.jpg|Fireboat in ], ].
Image:Fireboat_in_venice_rushing_to_action.jpg|Fireboat in ], Italy rushing to action. Photo:
Image:Portland fire boat 02.jpg|Portland, Oregon Fireboat, David Campbell. Built in 1927
Image:bayportboat.jpg|Bayport Fire Department Fire Boat.
Image:Kuopio_vene_7.jpg|A very specialized vehicle, ] used as a rescue boat in ], ]. (''Click the picture for more information'')
Image:LFB fireboat.JPG|A ] fireboat berthed at LFB Headquarters, London
</gallery>


Cities with fireboats are usually located on a large body of water with port facilities. Smaller fire departments lacking resources will use a ] or borrow boats from local rescue agencies (EMS, Coast Guard, military).
==List of modern fire boats==
===Asia===
Hong Kong


==History==
* Fireboat 1 (Elite)
The first recorded{{Citation needed|date=March 2009}} fire-float was built in 1765 for the Sun Fire Insurance Company in London. This was a ] in a small boat, rowed by its crew to the scene of the fire. A similar craft was built in ] by James Hillhouse for the Imperial Fire Insurance Office in the 1780s. All fire fighting in Bristol was carried out either by private insurance companies or the Docks Company until the formation of the Bristol Fire Brigade as a branch of the police in 1876. In New York City, a small boat with a hand-pump was used to fight marine fires as early as 1809.<ref name="fireboat.org">{{Cite web |date=2003 |title=Fireboats: Then and Now |url=https://www.fireboat.org/FEMAfireboatsthennowMay2003.pdf |access-date=2023-06-27 |website=fireboat.org}}</ref> By the middle of the nineteenth century, self-propelled steam-fire-floats were beginning to be introduced. The FDNY leased the ] John Fuller as the city's first powered fireboat in 1866.<ref name="fireboat.org"/> Prior to the "John Fuller", as early as the late 1700s, the FDNY used hand-pumpers mounted to barges and large rowboats. The first purpose built steam driven boats were introduced by ] (''William F. Flanders'') and FDNY (''William F. Havenmeyer'') in 1873 and 1875 respectively. The first European fireboat to appear in Bristol was the ''Fire Queen'', built by ], London, in 1884 for service in the city docks. The 53&nbsp;ft. (16.61 m.) long craft was equipped with a three-] ] supplying two large hose reels; one of these was replaced with a monitor, or ], in 1900. ''Fire Queen'' served until 1922.
* Fireboat 2
* Fireboat 3
* Fireboat 4
* Fireboat 5
* Fireboat 6 (Excellence)
* Fireboat 7
* Fireboat 8
* Command Boat (CB1 and CB2)
* Diving Support Vessel (D1)
* Diving Support Speed Boat (DV2 and DV3)
* Speed Boat (SB1-6)
* ] - retired


==List of famous fireboats==
===Europe===
{{Expand list|date=April 2015}}
Amsterdam, Netherlands
* ] – ] (]) (1903–1958) (retired and abandon at Witte Marine Scrapyard in ]).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oboylephoto.com/boatyard/by8.htm |title=Boatyard Ruins – Photographs by Shaun O'Boyle |publisher=Oboylephoto.com |access-date=2012-03-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120211185029/http://www.oboylephoto.com/boatyard/by8.htm |archive-date=2012-02-11 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* Jan van der Heide
* ] – Fireboat/Tug (New Orleans) (retired)
* ] – (Seattle) 1909 (retired)
* ] – Fireboat/] (]) (active) The oldest active fireboat.
* ] – (]) (retired)
* Fireboat 85 - Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (California). Located in 8th Battalion, ].
* ] – (NYC) 1938
* ] – ] (]) (2010) the United States' largest fireboat (Active)
* ] – Fireboat/Tug (]) (1878–1909) Fireboat participated in ] and fire. (retired and scrapped)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://guardiansofthecity.org/sffd/fireboats/governor_irwin.html |title=San Francisco Fire Department Museum ~ Fireboats ~ Governor Irwin |publisher=Guardiansofthecity.org |access-date=2012-03-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sfmuseum.org/conflag/06index.html |title=San Francisco Fire Department 1906 Earthquake and Fire Operations |publisher=Sfmuseum.org |access-date=2012-03-08}}</ref>
* ] – Fireboat/Tug (]) Fireboat participated in ] and fire. (retired and scrapped)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.baycrossings.com/dispnews.asp?id=1515 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060825002613/http://www.baycrossings.com/dispnews.asp?id=1515 |archive-date=2006-08-25 |title=:::: Bay Crossings ::::}}</ref>
* {{ship||Hoga|YT-146|2}} – US Navy – Fireboat/Tug (] attack) and City of ] 1940–1996 (retired and under museum ship restoration)
* ] – steam salvage tug (NYC) – 1866 boat had 2000GPM pump and hose. Considered first modern fireboat.<ref name="fireboat.org"/>
* ] – (Detroit) – Steam fireboat on Detroit River 1930–1976. (retired, scrapped)
* ] – (New York City) (1931–1959) (Temporary reinstatement ]) (retired)(Museum ship)
* ] – (London, England) Serving in ]. Dunkirk ] rescuing troops during ] (retired)
* ] – (San Francisco) (active)
* ] – moored at ] (], England) (retired)
* ] – (Los Angeles) (retired)
* ] – (Hong Kong) (retired)
* ] – Glasgow/Strathclyde (retired)
* ] – ] (]) (2009) Country's largest fireboat, twin to ]. (Active)
* ] – Baltimore (1956-2016) (retired)
* ] – Los Angeles (active)
* ] – (Boston) 1873
* ] – (NYC) 1875–1901 (retired)
* ] – (], Canada) (active)
* ] – Sandusky Fire Department (]) (active)
* ] – US Navy – Fireboat/Tug (1888–1945) Fireboat participated in ] and fire. (retired and scrapped)<ref name="sfmuseum.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.sfmuseum.org/1906/usn.html |title=Navy Firefighting Operations |publisher=Sfmuseum.org |date=1906-04-30 |access-date=2012-03-08}}</ref>
* {{USS|Fortune|1865|6}} – US Army / US Navy – Fireboat/Tug (1865–1922) Fireboat participated in ] and fire. (retired and scrapped)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sfmuseum.org/quake/navy.html |title=USFS Chicago 1906 Fire Operations |publisher=Sfmuseum.org |access-date=2012-03-08}}</ref>
* {{USS|Leslie|1861|6}} – US Army / US Navy – Fireboat/Tug (1861) Fireboat participated in ] and fire. (retired and scrapped)<ref name="sfmuseum.org"/>


==Departments with fireboats==
Zaandam, Netherlands
{{More citations needed section|date=November 2019}}
* Blusboot De Weer
{{Expand list|date=April 2015}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Department
!Total # of boats
!Details
|-
|Abingdon (MD) Fire Company
|1
|
|-
|Albany (NY) Fire Department
|1
|
|-
|Alexandria (VA) Fire Department
|1
|
|-
|Annapolis (MD) Fire Department
|1
|
|-
|Anne Arundel County (MD) Fire Department
|3
|
|-
|Atlantic City (NJ) Fire Department
|2
|
|-
|Audubon (NJ) Fire Department
|1
|
|-
|]
|3
|
|-
|Bayonne (NJ) Fire Department
|2
|
|-
|Bellingham (WA) Fire Department
|1
|
|-
|Bonita Springs (FL) Fire Department
|1
|
|-
|]
|2
|
|-
|Bowers (DE) Fire Company
|1
|
|-
|Bowleys Quarters (MD) Volunteer Fire Department
|4
|
|-
|Brevard County (FL) Fire Department
|1
|
|-
|Bridgeport (CT) Fire Department
|1
|
|-


|Broward County (FL) Sheriff's Office Fire Rescue
Rotterdam, Netherlands
|1
*RPA 2
|
*RPA 10
|-
*RPA 11
|]
*RPA 12
|1
*RPA 13
|
*RPA 14
|-
*RPA 15
*RPA 16


|Camden (NJ) Fire Department
Oslo, Norway
|1
* Erling Hagen #72
|
|-


|Cape Coral (FL) Fire Department
===North America===
|3
Victoria, British Columbia
|
* Rocket
|-
Langford, British Columbia
* #714


|Carteret (NJ) Fire Department
Toronto, Ontario
|1
* ]


|
Perth Amboy, New Jersey
|-
* Fire Marine 5
|]
|1


|
Bayport, New York
|-
*] 3-14-26 Rescue boat
|Charlotte County (FL) Fire Department
|3
|
|-
|]
|2
|


|-
Buffalo, New York
* ]


|]
New York, New York
|3
* Firefighter
* Governor Alfred E. Smith
* John D. McKean
* Kevin C. Kane
* ]


|
Los Angeles, California
|-
* ]
|Clearwater (FL) Fire and Rescue Department
* ]
|1


|
San Francisco, California
|-
* Phoenix
|Cleveland Fire Department
* Guardian
|1


|
Seattle, Washington
|-
|Contra Costa County(CA) Fire Protection District
|1
|
|-
|Cranston (RI) Fire Department
|1
|-


|Daytona Beach (FL) Fire Department
* Chief Seattle
|1
* Leschi
|


|-
Portland, Oregon
* David Campbell


|]
==Historic Fireboats==
|2
]]]
|
*]
|-
*]
*], moored at ]


|Duluth (MN) Fire Department
==References==
|1
<div class="references-small">
|
<references/>
|-
</div>

|Dunedin (FL) Fire Rescue
|1
|
|-
|East Providence (RI) Fire Department
|1
|-

|Elizabeth (NJ) Fire Department
|1
|
|-

|Edgewater (NJ) Fire Department
|1
|
|-

|Estero (FL) Fire Department
|1
|
|-
|]
|2
|1 frontline, 1 reserve
|-

|Fairfield (CT) Fire Department\

|1

|
|-

|Fall River (MA) Fire Department
|1
|
|-

|Fort Lauderdale (FL) Fire Rescue
|3
|
|-

|Fort Myers (FL) Fire Department
|1
|
|-
|Greater Naples (FL) Fire Department
|2

|
|-
|]
|1
|

|-

|]
|1
|uses a ] patrol boat equipped with water nozzle
|-
|Haletown (TN) Fire Department
|1
|Refurbrished US Army Corps of Engineers Survey Boat, Cruiser 1 "The Blansett"
|-

|-
|Harrisburg (PA) Bureau Of Fire
|1

|
|-
|Hartford (CT) Fire Department
|1

|
|-
|Hendersonville (TN) Fire Department
|1

|
|-
|Hillsborough County (FL) Fire Department
|2

|
|-
|Hoboken (NJ) Fire Department
|1
|

|-

|]/]
|12
|8, and 4 support vessels (command, 2 diving units, speedboat)
|-

|]
|1

|
|-
|Iona-McGregor (FL) Fire Department
|1
|

|-

|]
|3

|
|-
|Jersey City (NJ) Fire Department
|2

|
|-
|Kearny (NJ) Fire Department
|1

|
|-
|Key West (FL) Fire Department
|1

|
|-
|Lake Ozark (MO) Fire Protection District
|2

|
|-
|Linden (NJ) Fire Department
|1
|

|-

|]
|2

|
|-
|Longboat Key (FL) Fire Department
|1
|

|-

|]
|5
|

|-

|] Fire Services
|1

|
|-
|]
|1

|
|-
|Marbury (MD) Fire Department
|1

|
|-
|Marco Island (FL) Fire Department
|1
|

|-

|]
|2
|

|-

|]
|3
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.capecodfd.com/pages%20special/Fireboats%2007.htm |title=Massport Boston Boat |publisher=Capecodfd.com |date=2011-11-23 |access-date=2012-03-08}}</ref> with third delivered September 2011.<ref>{{cite web |author=CA |url=http://www.thevanguard.ca/Business/Fisheries/2010-07-27/article-1619573/Meteghan-company-building-fireboat-/1 |title=Meteghan company building fireboat – Fisheries – The Vanguard |publisher=Thevanguard.ca |access-date=2012-03-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120325004840/http://www.thevanguard.ca/Business/Fisheries/2010-07-27/article-1619573/Meteghan-company-building-fireboat-/1|archive-date=2012-03-25 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-668987 |title=5.3 Million Dollar Massport Airport Fireboat Ready to Launch – CNN iReport |publisher=Ireport.cnn.com |date=2011-09-06 |access-date=2012-03-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ral.ca/news/raindrops/raindrops-issue1.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2011-09-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402104114/http://www.ral.ca/news/raindrops/raindrops-issue1.pdf |archive-date=2012-04-02 }}</ref>

|-
|Matlacha (FL) Fire Rescue
|1

|
|-
|Miami (FL) Fire Department
|4

|
|-
|Miami Beach (FL) Fire Rescue
|1
|

|-

| {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110812055056/http://www.miamidade.gov/mdfr/emergency_special_marine_operations.asp |date=2011-08-12 }}
|2

|
|-
|Mid-County (MO) Fire Protection District
|2

|
|-
|Milwaukee (WI) Fire Department
|1

|
|-
|Nagasaki (Japan) Fire Department
|1

|
|-
|Narragansett (RI) Fire Department
|1

|
|-
|Nashville (TN) Fire Department
|1

|
|-
|Newark (NJ) Fire Department
|2

|
|-
|New Haven (CT) Fire Department
|1

|
|-
|New Orleans (LA) Fire Department
|1
|

|-

|]
|10
|3, plus two reserve, two spare, as well as three smaller boats activated during the summer months

|-
|Newport News (VA) Fire Department
|1

|
|-
|Niceville (FL) Fire Department
|1

|
|-
|Norfolk (VA) Fire Department
|1

|
|-
|North Charleston (SC) Fire Department
|1

|
|-
|North Collier County (FL) Fire Department
|1

|
|-
|North Hudson (NJ) Regional Fire & Rescue
|2

|
|-
|North Point Edgemere (MD) Vol. Fire Department
|1

|
|-
|Norwalk (CT) Fire Department
|1

|
|-
|Osage Beach (MO) Fire Protection District
|1

|
|-
|Palm Beach County (FL) Fire Rescue
|1

|
|-
|Palm Harbor (FL) Fire Department
|1

|
|-
|Panama City (FL) Fire Department
|1

|
|-
|Pensacola (FL) Fire Department
|1

|
|-
|Perth Amboy (NJ) Fire Department
|1

|
|-
|Philadelphia Fire Department
|2

|
|-
|Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire
|1

|
|-
|Port Alberni Fire Department (BC)
|1

|
|-
|Port Canaveral (FL) Fire Department
|1

|
|-
| Port of Houston Authority Marine Fire Department
|3

|
|-
| Portland (ME) Fire Department
|1
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aftheriault.com/en/boats/aluminum.htm |title=A.F.Theriault |publisher=A.F.Theriault |access-date=2012-03-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=CA |url=http://www.novanewsnow.com/Manufacturing/2009-07-03/article-612394/Shipyard-builds-fireboat-for-Portland/1 |title=Shipyard builds fireboat for Portland – Manufacturing |publisher=Nova News Now |access-date=2012-03-08}}</ref>

|-
|Portland (OR) Fire & Rescue
|2

|
|-
|Portsmouth (VA) Fire Department
|1

|
|-
|Poulsbo Fire Department (WA)/ Kitsap County Fire District #18
|1

|
|-
|Prince George's County (MD) Fire/EMS Department
|1

|
|-
|Prince George's County (MD) Volunteer Fire Department
|2

|
|-
|Providence (RI) Fire Department
|1

|
|-|
|Red Bank (NJ) Fire Department
|1

|
|-|

|Rochester (NY) Fire Department
|1

|
|-
|San Bernardino County (CA) Fire Department
|4

|
|-
|]
|3

|
|-
|Safety Harbor (FL) Fire Department
|1

|
|-
|San Diego Fire Rescue Department
|6

|
|-
|Sandusky (OH)Fire Department
|1

|
|-
|Sanford (FL) Fire Department
|1

|
|-
|Sanibel Island (FL) Fire Department
|1

|
|-
|São Paulo (Brazil) Firefighting Corp.
|2

|
|-
|Scappoose (OR) Fire District
|1

|
|-
|Sea Isle City (NJ) Fire Department
|1

|
|-
|Seattle Fire Department
|3
|1 reserve

|-
|Secaucus (NJ) Fire Department
|1

|
|-
|Seward (AK) Fire Department
|1
|

|-

|]
|0
|1 on order<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.koreaherald.com/national/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20110105000717 |title=Firefighters to get uncapsizable boat |language=ko |publisher=Koreaherald.com |date=2011-01-05 |access-date=2012-03-08}}</ref>
|-

|] Airport Emergency Services Sea
|2
|2 hovercraft used for marine rescue and firefighting
|-

|]
|4

|
|-
|South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service
|1

|
|-
|Stamford (CT) Fire Department
|1

|
|-
|Susquehanna Hose Company of Havre de Grace (MD)
|1

|
|-
|Syracuse (NY) Fire Department
|1

|
|-
|Tacoma (WA) Fire Department
|2

|
|-
|Tampa (FL) Fire/Rescue Department
|4

|
|-
|Tarrytown (NY) Fire Department
|1
|

|-

|]
|3
|2nd boat is a light utility boat and third built fitted to replace current utility boat. See ].

|-
|Tinicum (PA) Fire Department
|1
|

|-

|]
|10

|<ref>|</ref>

|-
|Trenton (NJ) Fire Department
|1
|

|-

|]
|5
|

|-

|]
|1
|
|-
|Warwick (RI) Fire Department
|1
|
|-












|Washington (D.C.) Fire Department
|3
|
|
|-

|Westville (NJ) Fire Department
|1
|
|-


|Wilmington (DE) Fire Department
|1
|
|-

|Water Witch (MD) Fire Company
|1
|
|-

|Wilmington (NC) Fire Department
|1
|
|-

|Woodbridge (NJ) Fire Department
|1

|
|-
|Yonkers (NY) Fire Department
|1
|
|}

==Government and military with fireboats==
] patrol boat with water cannons discharging]]
* ] – 9; 230 patrol boats with water cannons or firefighting support systems
* ]
* ] of the ] auxiliary fleet (2):
**]
**]


==See also== ==See also==
*], Tacoma, Washington
* ]
*], London, England, with a river fireboat station
* ] * ]
* ] * ]
* ] * ]
* ]

==References==
{{Reflist}}


==External links== ==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* detailed article about New York city fireboats of that era
* ''Popular Mechanics'', August 1937—i.e. article on Chicago Fire Department fire boat ]
*
* Book: "" - David C Pike
* {{Dead link|date=November 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}


{{ModernMerchantShipTypes}}
*
{{Firefighting}}
*
{{Authority control}}
*: San Francisco Fire Department Fireboat ''Phoenix'' fights Marina District fire after the Loma Prieta earthquake; fireboat ''Guardian'' brought to San Francisco from Vancouver through a storm.
*, Seattle's Historic Fireboat ''Duwamish''
* - Photos and videos
*
*


]
] ]
]
]
] ]
]

]
]
]
]

Latest revision as of 14:30, 13 December 2024

Firefighting vessel This article is about the firefighting vessel. For a ship deliberately set on fire, see Fire ship.
London Fire Brigade fireboat, River Thames, London
Toronto Fireboat WL Mackenzie
Onboard view of Fireboat John J. Harvey in Tauba Auerbach dazzle camouflage performing a water pumping demonstration in Oyster Bay, New York with artificial rainbow visible
Italian fireboat CLASS M
A fireboat of the fire department of Frankfurt, Germany
HKFS fireboat Excellence
San Francisco fireboat Phoenix
Deluge, retired fire fighting tug
Tokyo Fire Department's Ariake fireboat
The Edward M. Cotter of Buffalo, New York, considered the world's oldest active fireboat

A fireboat or fire-float is a specialized watercraft with pumps and nozzles designed for fighting shoreline and shipboard fires. The first fireboats, dating to the late 18th century, were tugboats, retrofitted with firefighting equipment. Older designs derived from tugboats and modern fireboats more closely resembling seafaring ships can both be found in service today. Some departments would give their multi-purpose craft the title of "fireboat" also.

They are frequently used for fighting fires on docks and shore side warehouses as they can directly attack fires in the supporting underpinnings of these structures. They also have an effectively unlimited supply of water available, pumping directly from below the hull. Fireboats can be used to assist shore-based firefighters when other water is in low supply or is unavailable, for example, due to earthquake breakage of water mains, as happened in San Francisco due to the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.

Some modern fireboats are capable of pumping tens of thousands of gallons of water per minute. An example is Fire Boat #2 of the Los Angeles Fire Department, the Warner Lawrence, with the capability to pump up to 38,000 US gallons per minute (2.4 m/s; 32,000 imp gal/min) and up to 400 feet (122 m) in the air.

Fireboats are most usually seen by the public when welcoming a fleet or historical ships with a display of their water moving capabilities, throwing large arcs of water in every direction.

Occasionally fireboats are used to carry firefighters, Emergency Medical Technicians, and a physician with their equipment to islands and other boats. Some may be used as icebreakers, like the Chicago Fire Department's Victor L. Schlaeger which can break 8 to 12 inch ice. They may also carry divers or surface water rescue workers. Passengers from ships in danger can be also transferred to various kind of rescue boats. Rescue boats may be used also for oil and chemical destruction on rivers, lakes and seas. For example, the Helsinki Rescue Department in Helsinki, Finland has different types of boats for various kind of firefighting, rescue, and oil destruction tasks.

Also hydrocopters, rigid-hulled inflatable boats, fanboats and even hovercraft and helicopters are used in fire, rescue and medical emergency situations.

Cities with fireboats are usually located on a large body of water with port facilities. Smaller fire departments lacking resources will use a rigid-hulled inflatable boat or borrow boats from local rescue agencies (EMS, Coast Guard, military).

History

The first recorded fire-float was built in 1765 for the Sun Fire Insurance Company in London. This was a manual pump in a small boat, rowed by its crew to the scene of the fire. A similar craft was built in Bristol by James Hillhouse for the Imperial Fire Insurance Office in the 1780s. All fire fighting in Bristol was carried out either by private insurance companies or the Docks Company until the formation of the Bristol Fire Brigade as a branch of the police in 1876. In New York City, a small boat with a hand-pump was used to fight marine fires as early as 1809. By the middle of the nineteenth century, self-propelled steam-fire-floats were beginning to be introduced. The FDNY leased the salvage tug John Fuller as the city's first powered fireboat in 1866. Prior to the "John Fuller", as early as the late 1700s, the FDNY used hand-pumpers mounted to barges and large rowboats. The first purpose built steam driven boats were introduced by Boston Fire Department (William F. Flanders) and FDNY (William F. Havenmeyer) in 1873 and 1875 respectively. The first European fireboat to appear in Bristol was the Fire Queen, built by Shand Mason & Co., London, in 1884 for service in the city docks. The 53 ft. (16.61 m.) long craft was equipped with a three-cylinder steam pump supplying two large hose reels; one of these was replaced with a monitor, or water cannon, in 1900. Fire Queen served until 1922.

List of famous fireboats

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (April 2015)

Departments with fireboats

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This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (April 2015)
Department Total # of boats Details
Abingdon (MD) Fire Company 1
Albany (NY) Fire Department 1
Alexandria (VA) Fire Department 1
Annapolis (MD) Fire Department 1
Anne Arundel County (MD) Fire Department 3
Atlantic City (NJ) Fire Department 2
Audubon (NJ) Fire Department 1
Baltimore City Fire Department 3
Bayonne (NJ) Fire Department 2
Bellingham (WA) Fire Department 1
Bonita Springs (FL) Fire Department 1
Boston Fire Department 2
Bowers (DE) Fire Company 1
Bowleys Quarters (MD) Volunteer Fire Department 4
Brevard County (FL) Fire Department 1
Bridgeport (CT) Fire Department 1
Broward County (FL) Sheriff's Office Fire Rescue 1
Buffalo Fire Department 1
Camden (NJ) Fire Department 1
Cape Coral (FL) Fire Department 3
Carteret (NJ) Fire Department 1
Charlotte Fire Department 1
Charlotte County (FL) Fire Department 3
Chicago Fire Department 2
Cincinnati Fire Department 3
Clearwater (FL) Fire and Rescue Department 1
Cleveland Fire Department 1
Contra Costa County(CA) Fire Protection District 1
Cranston (RI) Fire Department 1
Daytona Beach (FL) Fire Department 1
Detroit Fire Department 2
Duluth (MN) Fire Department 1
Dunedin (FL) Fire Rescue 1
East Providence (RI) Fire Department 1
Elizabeth (NJ) Fire Department 1
Edgewater (NJ) Fire Department 1
Estero (FL) Fire Department 1
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department 2 1 frontline, 1 reserve
Fairfield (CT) Fire Department\ 1
Fall River (MA) Fire Department 1
Fort Lauderdale (FL) Fire Rescue 3
Fort Myers (FL) Fire Department 1
Greater Naples (FL) Fire Department 2
General Fire Brigade of Guangdong 1
Georgina Fire and Rescue 1 uses a York Regional Police patrol boat equipped with water nozzle
Haletown (TN) Fire Department 1 Refurbrished US Army Corps of Engineers Survey Boat, Cruiser 1 "The Blansett"
Harrisburg (PA) Bureau Of Fire 1
Hartford (CT) Fire Department 1
Hendersonville (TN) Fire Department 1
Hillsborough County (FL) Fire Department 2
Hoboken (NJ) Fire Department 1
Hong Kong Fire Services/Hong Kong International Airport 12 8, and 4 support vessels (command, 2 diving units, speedboat)
Honolulu Fire Department 1
Iona-McGregor (FL) Fire Department 1
Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department 3
Jersey City (NJ) Fire Department 2
Kearny (NJ) Fire Department 1
Key West (FL) Fire Department 1
Lake Ozark (MO) Fire Protection District 2
Linden (NJ) Fire Department 1
London Fire Brigade 2
Longboat Key (FL) Fire Department 1
Los Angeles Fire Department 5
Macau International Airport Fire Services 1
Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department 1
Marbury (MD) Fire Department 1
Marco Island (FL) Fire Department 1
Marseille Naval Fire Battalion 2
Massachusetts Port Authority 3 with third delivered September 2011.
Matlacha (FL) Fire Rescue 1
Miami (FL) Fire Department 4
Miami Beach (FL) Fire Rescue 1
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department Archived 2011-08-12 at the Wayback Machine 2
Mid-County (MO) Fire Protection District 2
Milwaukee (WI) Fire Department 1
Nagasaki (Japan) Fire Department 1
Narragansett (RI) Fire Department 1
Nashville (TN) Fire Department 1
Newark (NJ) Fire Department 2
New Haven (CT) Fire Department 1
New Orleans (LA) Fire Department 1
New York City Fire Department (FDNY) 10 3, plus two reserve, two spare, as well as three smaller boats activated during the summer months
Newport News (VA) Fire Department 1
Niceville (FL) Fire Department 1
Norfolk (VA) Fire Department 1
North Charleston (SC) Fire Department 1
North Collier County (FL) Fire Department 1
North Hudson (NJ) Regional Fire & Rescue 2
North Point Edgemere (MD) Vol. Fire Department 1
Norwalk (CT) Fire Department 1
Osage Beach (MO) Fire Protection District 1
Palm Beach County (FL) Fire Rescue 1
Palm Harbor (FL) Fire Department 1
Panama City (FL) Fire Department 1
Pensacola (FL) Fire Department 1
Perth Amboy (NJ) Fire Department 1
Philadelphia Fire Department 2
Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire 1
Port Alberni Fire Department (BC) 1
Port Canaveral (FL) Fire Department 1
Port of Houston Authority Marine Fire Department 3
Portland (ME) Fire Department 1
Portland (OR) Fire & Rescue 2
Portsmouth (VA) Fire Department 1
Poulsbo Fire Department (WA)/ Kitsap County Fire District #18 1
Prince George's County (MD) Fire/EMS Department 1
Prince George's County (MD) Volunteer Fire Department 2
Providence (RI) Fire Department 1
Red Bank (NJ) Fire Department 1
Rochester (NY) Fire Department 1
San Bernardino County (CA) Fire Department 4
San Francisco Fire Department 3
Safety Harbor (FL) Fire Department 1
San Diego Fire Rescue Department 6
Sandusky (OH)Fire Department 1
Sanford (FL) Fire Department 1
Sanibel Island (FL) Fire Department 1
São Paulo (Brazil) Firefighting Corp. 2
Scappoose (OR) Fire District 1
Sea Isle City (NJ) Fire Department 1
Seattle Fire Department 3 1 reserve
Secaucus (NJ) Fire Department 1
Seward (AK) Fire Department 1
Seoul Metropolitan Fire and Disaster Management Department 0 1 on order
Singapore Changi Airport Airport Emergency Services Sea 2 2 hovercraft used for marine rescue and firefighting
St. Louis Fire Department 4
South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service 1
Stamford (CT) Fire Department 1
Susquehanna Hose Company of Havre de Grace (MD) 1
Syracuse (NY) Fire Department 1
Tacoma (WA) Fire Department 2
Tampa (FL) Fire/Rescue Department 4
Tarrytown (NY) Fire Department 1
Toronto Fire Services 3 2nd boat is a light utility boat and third built fitted to replace current utility boat. See Fireboats of Toronto.
Tinicum (PA) Fire Department 1
Tokyo Fire Department 10
Trenton (NJ) Fire Department 1
Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services 5
Virginia Beach Fire Department 1
Warwick (RI) Fire Department 1
Washington (D.C.) Fire Department 3
Westville (NJ) Fire Department 1
Wilmington (DE) Fire Department 1
Water Witch (MD) Fire Company 1
Wilmington (NC) Fire Department 1
Woodbridge (NJ) Fire Department 1
Yonkers (NY) Fire Department 1

Government and military with fireboats

Japan Coast Guard patrol boat with water cannons discharging

See also

References

  1. James Delgado (1988). "Duwamish Fireboat: National Historic Landmark Study". National Park Service. Archived from the original on 2009-05-05.
  2. "The Schlaeger". Chicago Fire Department. 2008. Archived from the original on 2021-04-27. Retrieved 2009-11-24.
  3. "Pelastuslaitos". Helsingin kaupunki.
  4. ^ "Fireboats: Then and Now" (PDF). fireboat.org. 2003. Retrieved 2023-06-27.
  5. "Boatyard Ruins – Photographs by Shaun O'Boyle". Oboylephoto.com. Archived from the original on 2012-02-11. Retrieved 2012-03-08.
  6. "San Francisco Fire Department Museum ~ Fireboats ~ Governor Irwin". Guardiansofthecity.org. Retrieved 2012-03-08.
  7. "San Francisco Fire Department 1906 Earthquake and Fire Operations". Sfmuseum.org. Retrieved 2012-03-08.
  8. ":::: Bay Crossings ::::". Archived from the original on 2006-08-25.
  9. ^ "Navy Firefighting Operations". Sfmuseum.org. 1906-04-30. Retrieved 2012-03-08.
  10. "USFS Chicago 1906 Fire Operations". Sfmuseum.org. Retrieved 2012-03-08.
  11. "Massport Boston Boat". Capecodfd.com. 2011-11-23. Retrieved 2012-03-08.
  12. CA. "Meteghan company building fireboat – Fisheries – The Vanguard". Thevanguard.ca. Archived from the original on 2012-03-25. Retrieved 2012-03-08.
  13. "5.3 Million Dollar Massport Airport Fireboat Ready to Launch – CNN iReport". Ireport.cnn.com. 2011-09-06. Retrieved 2012-03-08.
  14. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-04-02. Retrieved 2011-09-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  15. "A.F.Theriault". A.F.Theriault. Retrieved 2012-03-08.
  16. CA. "Shipyard builds fireboat for Portland – Manufacturing". Nova News Now. Retrieved 2012-03-08.
  17. "Firefighters to get uncapsizable boat" (in Korean). Koreaherald.com. 2011-01-05. Retrieved 2012-03-08.
  18. |消防装備

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