Apparatus updates by Jack Lerch

Re-printed from Fire Apparatus Journal March-April 2001


A CONTRACT IS EXPECTED TO BE AWARDED shortly for the construction of two diesel powered, steel-hulled fireboats. These two boats, meant to replace the Fire Fighter, built in 1938 with a rated capacity of 20,000 gpm, and the John D. McKean, built in 1954 with a rated capacity of 19,000 gpm, will be 85 feet long. Each boat will have two fire pumps of equal capacity with a total output of 10,560 gpm. They will each have four deck pipes. The large bow pipe will have a maximum discharge of 5280 gpm. The three smaller pipes will each have a discharge capacity of 2640 gpm. One is to be mounted on the pilot house, with the other two mounted on the port and starboard sides. The contract is expected to be awarded to Halter Marine, located in Gulfport, MS, but has not been finalized as this was written. Both are smaller than the two existing fireboats, which are 134 feet and 129 feet long respectively. The Fire Fighter is assigned to Marine Company 9 in Staten Island, with the John D. McKean at Marine Company I in Manhattan. The only other active marine company, Marine 6, operates with the Kevin C. Kane, built in 1992. That boat is 52 feet long and has a total pump capacity of 5000 gpm. Our next issue will have more complete details on the two new fireboats

 

The Department has received twenty-five 2001 Ford Focus four-door sedans. They are painted white, with the only markings being an FDNY logo on each side. They do not carry any warning lights or sirens and are not being assigned to bureaus or individuals for response to fire or emergencies. They will replace the fleet of 1999 Chevrolet Lumina sedans, which in turn will be re-assigned to other non-responding units or individuals.

 

The five 2000 Seagrave 1000 gpm rescuepumpers have been delivered and assigned to Squad Companies 18, 61, 252, 270 and 288. In appearance they are virtually identical to the two 1998 Seagrave rescue-pumpers now in service at Squad Companies 1 and 41. Like the two older rigs, these have their unit designations in large yellow letters and numbers on the sides and rear. The former rigs of the units getting the new rescue-pumpers were a 1989 Mack/Ward 79 pumper at Squad 288, a 1996 Seagrave pumper at Squad 270, a 1997 Seagrave pumper at Squad 252 and 1998 Seagrave pumpers at Squads 18 and 6 1. These five pumpers had been retrofitted at the FDNY Repair Shops two years ago with large top mounted metal equipment boxes to carry the various specialized tools and equipment not assigned to engine companies. These boxes have been removed from the older rigs and will be mounted on the new rescuepumpers to give them extra storage space. Each of the Squad companies also has a second piece of apparatus assigned. Squad 1 uses the 1991 International/Saulsbury Technical Response Vehicle, with the other six squad companies having a Union City, step-van haz-mat tenders. The vans assigned to Squads 41 and 288 are built on 1997 Chevrolet chassis, with those assigned to Squads 18, 61, 252, and 270 are on 1998 GMC chassis.

 


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