Boats and Hose will be an information sharing blog showing different fire and rescue boats from all over the world. It will share information on design, construction, capabilities, staffing, training, operations, response profiles and anything else we can conjure.
Every so often we will spotlight one department and their operation. Our inaugural department is the Baltimore City Fire Department in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Baltimore operates four fire boats from their station at Fort McHenry. Two of the boats, one fire boat and one fire rescue boat, are staffed, 24/7/365; the other two are ready reserves, available for use at any time when a proper crew is present.
The first line fire boat is the John R. Frazier. The "Frazier" was built in 2007 by Hike Metal Products, Ltd in Wheatley, ON Canada. It is 87 feet long with an aluminum hull and capable of pumping 7,000 gpm. A minimum crew of four staffs the Frazier; one Fire Officer, one Marine Pilot, one Marine Engineer and either a second Marine Engineer or a Firefighter. If staffing permits, a fifth person, Firefighter, would also be on the crew. The Marine Pilot must have a minimum USCG License for 100 Tons Inland. The Marine Pilot must have a minimum USCG License for 440 horsepower. The Firefighter on the deck and the Fire Officer have no additional training requirements.
The reserve fire boat is the Mayor Thomas D'Alesandro, Jr. The "Tommy" was built in 1956 and is made of all steel. The pumping capability of the Tommy is 12,000 gpm. This vessel is typically only used when the Frazier is out of service or for larger operations if a proper crew is available.
The unit also operates a fire rescue boat. There are twin fire rescue boats. They were built in 2003 by SeaArk Marine. They are 30 feel long and have an aluminum hull. One fire rescue boat is staffed 24/7/365 with a crew of two, while the other vessel is a ready reserve. Minimum staffing for the fire rescue boat is one Emergency Boat Operator and either a second Emergency Boat Operator or a Firefighter. An Emergency Boat Operator must either have a USCG Operator of Uninspected Vessel (6 pack) license or have a Maryland Fire Service Personnel Qualifications Board Certificate as a Mate 2.
Baltimore City is has 11 square miles of water within the City limits. The inner harbor is the northwest extension of the Patapsco River which empties into the Chesapeake Bay. The Baltimore Fire Boat is known as the only "large fire boat" on the entire Chesapeake Bay.
For more information, visit the unofficial website of the Baltimore Fire Boats at www.BaltimoreFireBoats.com
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