fireboat
A fireboat or fire-float is a specialized watercraft with pumps and nozzles designed for fighting shoreline and shipboard fires. The first fireboats, dating to the late 18th century, were tugboats, retrofitted with firefighting equipmen ...
operates in
Tampa, Florida
Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and ...
from 2009 to present. The vessel cost $3.8 million. She was built in
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston is a city in Ontario, Canada. It is located on the north-eastern end of Lake Ontario, at the beginning of the St. Lawrence River and at the mouth of the Cataraqui River (south end of the Rideau Canal). The city is midway between Toro ...
. She is long, and displaces 52 tonnes.
The vessel was paid for through a
FEMA Port Security Grant
Since 2002, the Department of Homeland Security has provided Port Security Grants to ports within the United States, to build fireboats. These vessels are thought to help keep the entire United States safer, because, in addition to fighting loca ...
. So, in addition to being able to fight fires, her cabin is sealed, so she can respond to chemical, biological or radiological threats.
According to '' WFLA'' she has not been put into use since 2015, when her engines became fouled by barnacles. She is propelled by waterjets. ''WFLA'' reported fire officials were criticized that her high tech propulsion system had to be hauled out the barnacle infested water, when not it use. the barnacles have since been exterminated and the boat itself has repainted to grey and red and returned to service.