Page 22: of Marine News Magazine (April 2020)

21 23

FIREBOATS

Credit: Robert Allen, LTD.

for those vessels. The second pertained to hazardous materi- 17 knots, and a total pumping capacity in excess of 50,000 als, from chemical cargoes to energy products newly carried as GPM these ?reboats are among the largest in the world. Each cargo, such as LNG or LHG. cost $27 million, covered, to a large extent, by Homeland Se-

DHS’ report raises critical questions, particularly pressing curity grants. Each is a stand-alone battle station at the tip of now, and particularly relevant for decisions about ?reboats. the spear for confronting maritime ?res and disasters.

How should a port’s safety analysis change to adequately Derek Noon, a Principal with Robert Allen, was project measure and describe risks from LNG and LHG tankers and manager for FDNY’s 343. Noon was asked about how or 1,200-foot containerships? DHS noted that on the one hand whether emerging port safety issues are affecting new ?reboat containers themselves help reduce ?re risks. On the other designs and capabilities. Central to this question, of course, is hand, the report cites an estimate that “nearly 50% of all con- that ?reboats don’t just roll off a production line. Each is cus- tainers hold some hazardous material,” and there have been tomized to re?ect a port’s most likely hazards. In Chicago, for several major ?res on board containerships over the last few example, ?reboats have ice-breaking capabilities and low draft years – some fatal. How should these developments in?uence to pass under bridges. In LA, ?re of?cials need the ability to a ?reboat’s cost-bene?t assessment? Maybe a response vessel pump water to shoreside ?re mains in case of an earthquake.

built for a vacation marina isn’t the right one to approach an In New York, the decks of the 343 and the Fire Fighter II emergency on a tanker barge ?lled with vinyl chloride. are at a level even with the decks of the Staten Island Ferry.

Robert Allen LTD, based in Vancouver, B.C., is a naval de- That’s deliberate.

sign ?rm that has worked on some of the world’s most storied Noon said the most signi?cant change in ?reboats is de- ?reboats, including FDNY’s paired vessels, the Fireboat 343 mand for CBRN detection and protection systems, which he and its sister ?reboat the Fire Fighter II, both placed in service called “a direct result of an increased terrorist threat and the in 2010. At 140 feet, with CBRN capabilities (Chemical, Bio- vulnerabilities of ports.” Newer boats also have infrared and logical, Radiological, and Nuclear), a response speed of over night vision technologies.

April 2020 22 MN