New York FDNY Boats 1

Original Feature Posted April 26, 2004 - Re-launched January 28, 2012
Updated January 28, 2012

NEW YORK CITY FIRE BOATS
There is perhaps no other city that comes to mind first when thinking about fire boats.
The Fire Department of New York City has a very long and historic history of fighting fires
on land and the sea. The city has 560 miles of waterfront and has long been one of the busiest
ports in the world.

Over the years many major historic incidents have occurred on the waters of New York
city and every one involved the response of fire boats. While many of the wharfs, warehouses,
and ships of the waterfront are no longer, the FDNY continues to respond to a wide variety
of emergencies. The September 11, 2001 World Trade Center collapse and the jet landing
in the Hudson River are two of the more recent.

The first fire boat in the city dates back to 1875. At its height, in the early 1900's, the FDNY
Marine Division had 10 fireboat stations within the city. Budget cuts in the late 1960's and 1970's
reduced the fleet to 4 Marine Companies. Marine 1, 2, 6 and 9.
In 1992 that dropped to 3 Marine Companies with the closing of Marine 2.
The current Marine Companies 1, 6, and 9 continue to provide service.

Always some of the most powerful fireboats in the world, the fleet of the FDNY was
capable of pumping in excess of between 10,000 and 20,000 gpms.
The "Firefighter" of Marine 9 is possibly one of the most powerful and famous of all
recent boats, although each boat holds its own special place in history.

Following 9/11, the department recognized the continued value of a fire boat fleet
and developed plans for upgrading the fleet to meet the needs of the future.
In the 2010 and 2011, three new and powerful boats entered service.
The older boats have either gone into reserve status or retirement.

Today, the FDNY operates the most modern and powerful fire boats in the world.
The two "big" boats, the "Three Forty Three" and "Fire Fighter II" are significantly
larger that all older boats and can pump twice the water, 50,000 gpm each!
The third boat is the fastest of the fleet, cruising at 50 knots when needed.

"Fireboat"
Embossed in the 9/11 Memorial on the wall of Station E10 - L10
at the foot of the World Trade Center.

FOR MORE ON THE HARVEY AND FDNY FIREBOATS
WWW.FIREBOAT.ORG
Find out how you can support the preservation of this great vessel
and maybe take a ride on her!.

"Water Display"
Fire Boats are all about pumping water... lots of water!
With an unlimited supply beneath the vessel, its only a matter
of how large the pumps are and how many nozzles (Deck Guns)
are available to deliver the water where it is needed.
The 1931 retired fire boat "John J. Harvey" (Marine 2)
put on a water display at the Blessing of the Fleet
in July 2011.

"Big Guns"
The large capacity deck guns of the "Fire Fighter" and "McKean"
now in reserve / retirement at the Marine Division in Brooklyn.
July 2011

FDNY Marine Division
The FDNY Marine Division currently operates the following boats:

"THE FDNY FLEET"
The new Fire Boat fleet of the FDNY
The "Three Forty Three", "Bravest", and "Fire Fighter II"
July 2011

"Marine Company 1"
2010 140' Fire Boat "Three Forty Three" 50,000 gpm - Manhattan.
"Marine Company 1 Alpha"
2006 27' Fast Boat "Marine 1 Alpha" 1,000 gpm - Manhattan.

"Marine Company 9"
2010 140' Fire Boat "Fire Fighter II" 50,000 gpm - Staten Island.

In addition to these primary boats,
the Marine Division maintains Reserve Fire Boats
and a number of small and seasonal boats
to augment the division during the summer boating season.

"New York City"
Map of New York City and the rivers, bays, and harbors protected by the FDNY.
Over 560 miles of waterfront are protected by the FDNY.

(Note: New Jersey shares many of the waterways around New York City
and several cities also operate fire boats)

"John J. Harvey"
130' Fire Boat of Marine Company 2 built in 1931 and served until 1999.
The Harvey could pump 18,000 gpm.
It famously came out of retirement to pump for 3 days during the
September 11, 2011 attacks on the World Trade Center.
It is now owned, operated, and preserved by a non-profit corporation.

PAST FDNY FIREBOATS
(Info from Fireboats.org)

WILLIAM F. HAVEMEYER (1875-1901)
106' x 22' x 10'. 6000 gpm.

ZOPHAR MILLS (1882-1934)
120' x 25' x 12'. 6000 gpm.

SETH LOW (1885-1917)
99' x 24' x 9'. 3500 gpm.

THE NEW YORKER (1890-1931)
125' x 26' x 12'. 13,000 gpm.

DAVID A. BOODY (1892-1914)
105' x 23' x 7'. 6500 gpm.

WILLIAM L. STRONG (1898-1948)
100' x 24' x 12.6'. 6500 gpm.

ABRAM S. HEWITT (1903-1958)
117' x 25' x 10'6". 7000 gpm.

GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN (1904-1954)
117' x 24' x 9'6". 7000 gpm.

JAMES DUANE (1908-1959)
132' x 28' x 10'. 9000 gpm.

THOMAS WILLETT (1908-1959)
132' x 28' x 10'. 9000 gpm.

CORNELIUS W. LAWRENCE (1908-1955)
104'6" x 23'6" x 9'. 7000 gpm.

VELOX (1907-1922)
68' x 11'6" x 7'.

WILLIAM J. GAYNOR (1914-1961)
118' x 25' x 13.4'. 7000 gpm.

JOHN PURROY MITCHEL (1921-1966)
132' x 27' x 10'. 9000 gpm.

CAPTAIN CONNELL (1922-1938)
56'6" x 12' x 6'6".

JOHN J. HARVEY (1931-1999)
130' x 28' x 9'. 18,000 gpm.

FIRE FIGHTER (1938-2011 )
134' x 32' x 9'. 20,000 gpm.

SMOKE (1938-1955)
53' x 7' x 3.5'.

JOHN D. MC KEAN (1954-2011 )
129' x 30' x 9'. 19,000 gpm.

H. SYLVIA A. H. G. WILKS (1958-1972)
105'6" x 27' x 9'. 8000 gpm.

HARRY M. ARCHER M. D. (1958-1994)
105'6" x 27' x 9'. 8000 gpm.

SMOKE II (1958- )
52' x 14' x 4'. 2000 gpm.

SENATOR ROBERT F. WAGNER (1959-1993)
105'6" x 27' x 9'. 8000 gpm.

GOVERNOR ALFRED E. SMITH (1961- )
105'6" x 27' x 9'. 8000 gpm.

JOHN H. GLENN, JR. (1962-1977)
70' x 21' x 5'. 5000 gpm.
(now Washington, DC Fire Boat 1)

JOHN P. DEVANEY (1992-1994)
70' x 19' x 5'4" 7075 gpm.

ALFRED E. RONALDSON (1992-1994)
70' x 19' x 5'4" 7075 gpm.

KEVIN C. KANE (1992-2010 )
52' x 16' x 4'6". 6500 gpm.

"Alfred E. Smith"
FDNY Reserve Fire Boat
Built in 1961
Currently at the Marine Division in Brooklyn.

MARINE COMPANY 1
FDNY Fire Boat "John D. McKean" at Pier A in Manhattan
photo 1986

OLD MARINE DIVISION HEADQUARTERS
New York City, New York
Pier A at the tip of Manhattan on the Hudson River.
Home to active and reserve fire boats.
One of my favorite photos of the old
Fire Boat Station taken in 1986.

FDNY MARINE DIVISION
Pier A from the top of the World Trade Center
October 1986 photo

FDNY MARINE DIVISION
Pier A from the top of the World Trade Center
May 1990 photo
Pier A stopped being the Marine Division HQ in 1992.

THE FDNY MARINE DIVISION
The FDNY Marine Division at Pier A at the Battery in lower Manhattan
in the center of the photo.
October 1986 photo.

FDNY Fireboat
"John D. McKean"
Built 1954 - Retired 2011
129' length, 30' Beam, 0' draft
19,000 GPM
Photo April 2001

FDNY Fireboat - Marine Company 1
"THREE FORTY THREE"
The new FDNY Marine Company 1
Built in 2009 at Eastern Shipbuilding Group in Panama City, Florida
Commissioned on September 11, 2010
140' Length, 36' Beam, 9' Draft
50,000 GPM - 11 Remote controlled monitors
3,600 gallons of foam
Equipped with large boom / crane
Cost estimated at $27 Million.

FDNY Fireboat - MARINE 1 ALPHA
Along with the 140' "Three Forty Three" Marine Company 1 operates
a 2006 27' SAFE fast boat equipped with a fire pump and able to get into areas
quickly for fire and rescue operations.

FDNY Fireboat - Old Marine Company 1
"John J. Harvey"
The old Marine Company 2 was built in 1931.
She served the city until retired in 1999.
Marine 2 was put into service for 3 days during
the September 11, 2011 attacks on the World Trade Center.

Marine Company 2
Retired in 1999 is now operated and maintained by a private
non-profit corporation that keeps the old boat running and
takes folks out for rides around the harbor.
Photos July 2011

FOR MORE ON THE HARVEY AND FDNY FIREBOATS
WWW.FIREBOAT.ORG
Find out how you can support the preservation of this great vessel
and maybe take a ride on her!.

FDNY Fireboat - Marine Company 3
In addition to the three main, full-time fire boat stations in the city,
the FDNY operates a few small boats seasonally at remote areas
of the city. The 27' Boston Whaler serving as Marine 3 operates
from a dock near the Kingsborough Community College in the
Eastern part of Coney Island in Brooklyn.

Additional boats operate from Ft. Trottin in Queens and
Great Kills Park on the south shore of Staten Island.

FDNY Fireboat - Old Marine Company 6
"Kevin C. Kane"
One of the smaller vessels of the FDNY, the "Kevin C. Kane"
was built in 1992 and served actively as Marine Company 6 until
2011 when it was replaced by the "Bravest."
The Kane is 52' LOA with a 6,500 gpm capacity.
As Marine 6 it operated out of Marine Division HQ at the
former Brooklyn Navy Yard.
Photo July 2011

FDNY Fireboat - Marine Company 6
"BRAVEST"
Built in 2011 by SAFE Boats in Seattle, Washington.
Marine 6 was trucked across county.
The 65' Fast Fire Boat is capable of traveling at 50 knots
and can pump approximately 7,000 gpm.
It is stationed at the Marine Division HQ in Brooklyn.
Photos July 2011

The long time icon of the FDNY Marine Division,
the "Fire Fighter" was built in 1938 at a ship yard in Staten Island.
Diesel electric motors provided propulsion, pump drives, and power for the vessel.
The "Fire Fighter" was 134 in length and could pump 20,000 gpm
from an assortment of large caliber nozzles.
Marine 9 last served in Staten Island and was retired
in 2011 when the new "Fire Fighter II" went in service.

"Engine Room"
The power house engines below deck of the retired "Fire Fighter"

FDNY Fireboat - Marine Company 9
"FIRE FIGHTER II"
Twin to the "Three Forty Three", the new Marine Company 9
"Fire Fighter II" went in service in 2011. She is also 140' in length,
with a 50,000 gpm pump capacity.
Marine 9 replaced the infamous 1938 "Fire Fighter"
and is assigned to Staten Island.

"BIG BOATS"
The "Three Forty Three" and "Fire Fighter II"
are probably the two most powerful fire boats in the world today.
Blessing of the Fleet.
July 2011

"NYPD BLUE BOATS"
The New York City Police Department also operates a fleet of boats.
Some of them are shown in this feature.

Marine Company 1
The new "Three Forty Three" and "Marine 1 Alpha" shown at their
temporary home on Pier 40 near West Houston Street on the Hudson River
in Manhattan July 2011.
The new home for Marine 1 opened in the Fall of 2011.

FDNY MARINE COMPANY 1
The new Marine Company 1 Station is located on the Hudson River at Bloomfield Street
opened in 2011. Home to the new Marine Company 1 "343" and "Marine 1 Alpha" small boat.

FDNY MARINE DIVISION HEADQUARTERS
The FDNY Marine Division Headquarters and home to Marine Company 6
is in the former Brooklyn Navy Yard.

FDNY MARINE COMPANY 6 & DIVISION HEADQUARTERS
Many of the FDNY Fire Boats were at the FDNY Marine Division
in Brooklyn in July 2011.
Left to right...
Reserve boat "Alfred E. Smith", the new Marine 6 "Bravest", the old Marine 6 "Kevin C. Kane",
the old Marine 9 "Fire Fighter" and the old Marine 1 "John D. McKean".

FDNY MARINE COMPANY 9
Marine Company 9 in located on Staten Island.
A new station is also being built for Marine 9 on the pier.

FDNY FIRE BOAT
Fire Boat shown on the 9/11 memorial wall at Station E10 / L10 in lower Manhattan

Thank You!
Thanks to Bob who took the time to show me around the boats
at the Brooklyn Yard.