Tampa's Fireboat Back Into The Water

I first posted about this fireboat in the fleet of Tampa Fire Rescue back in May 2009. Click HERE. Tampa had just purchased a new boat and was awaiting its delivery in September of that year. Click HERE to read about the city's newest boat, the Patriot. She's quite the vessel. I caught the crew putting this boat back into the water at the Seaplane Basin ramp on Davis Islands.

The Patriot: Tampa Fire Rescue's NEW Fireboat

It's arrived! The long-awaited fireboat, The Patriot, arrived yesterday for Tampa Fire & Rescue. I first posted about Tampa Fire Rescue's older 32-foot long fireboat HERE on May 27th. Along with greatly increased water pumping capacity, the equivalent of nine fire trucks, the new boat, a Firestorm 69 model, can reach 35 knots, weighs 52 tons and is powered by 825-hp diesel engines. MetalCraft Marine of Ontario, Canada built the Patriot and builds a variety of other specialized boats including high speed patrol boats, fire boats, rescue boats, and work boats. The Patriot is the fastest fireboat in the world and will pump 10,000 gallons per minute. It will officially be in service in a few weeks and will be manned by Tampa Fire Rescue's Station 17 crew on Davis Islands. They can respond to emergencies which may arise in the Port of Tampa, Port Manatee and throughout the Tampa Bay shipping channel. The new boat, which cost $3.8 million, was paid for with grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. It is a fantastic ship!

I've attached a short new video from FOX 13 television which shows the boat in action as it arrived in Tampa Bay.

Tampa Fire Rescue keeps its fireboat at the ready

This is quite the boat. Although she has seen her younger days slip by, just like every other piece of expensive firefighting equipment, from firehouses, trucks, cars to, yes, fireboats, she looks absolutely brand new. (She's a real honey at 20 yards.) Soon to be joined by a spanking new boat by the same company that built her, right now she's at the ready and does see her share of fires. The boat is moored in front of the dock master's building at the Marjorie Park Yacht Basin on Davis Islands. The basin opens into Seddon Channel that leads up to the Hillsborough River or down to the Hillsborough Bay and the Gulf of Mexico.

Built by MetalCraft Marine of Kingston, Ontario, Canada and Clayton, NY, the current boat will be joined in June by her planned replacement. (I won't let on in case she's jealous.)Along with greatly increased water pumping capacity, the new boat, the Firestorm 69, will be fast. Measuring 70 feet, the boat will reach 35 knots and be powered by 825-hp diesel engines. (This one has huge outboards.) Cost? Close to $2,000,000. (The replacement is long overdue and if it saves one life it's worth every penny.)

MetalCraft Marine builds a variety of specialized craft including high speed patrol boats, fire boats, rescue boats, and work boats. The new FireStorm 69 will be the fastest fireboat in the world and will pump 10,000 GPM (gallons per minute.) Its increased capabilities in our many different kinds of water, including the river, bays, channels and port, should make everyone - commercial ships, cruise ships and locals alike - feel much better protected. Tampa's new vessel will be delivered next month. I will keep my eye out for her arrival and compare the two vessels, realizing that aside from being able to find our fireboat at dock, I'm totally unqualified and uninitiated in fireboat technology. I'll simply leave it to my camera to do the detail work and comparison.

I don't know what will eventually happen with this sweet boat. In the condition she appears to be in, and knowing that Tampa Fire Rescue maintains her, I imagine she'll live a very long, long life - perhaps retired to do some sleepy fishing in Costa Rica or in the Florida keys. (Only kidding.)