New Jersey Fire Boat Christened

[NJFFSA16]

By STEVE STRUNSKY
Associated Press Writer
WEEHAWKEN, N.J. (AP) - Responding to rapid development and
increased use of Hudson County's northern waterfront, the area's
regional fire and rescue squad has christened its first fire boat.
For years, New Jersey has had a mutual aid agreement with the
Fire Department of New York, and in many cases has been assisted by
the Coast Guard and NYPD police boats for marine rescues and other
non-fire emergencies.
But, said Jeff Welz, co-director of the North Hudson Regional
Fire and Rescue squad, "We didn't want the residents of North
Hudson to rely on outside agencies for rescues off our shores. Post
9/11, all these other agencies, their commitments have grown."
Thousands of condominiums have been built along the west bank of
the Hudson River in recent years and more are planned. Construction
of marinas, parks and restaurants, often linked by new stretches of
the state-mandated Hudson River waterfront walkway, has drawn
increasing numbers of visitors to the waterfront.
Those new demands, as well as cost savings from regionalizing
five fire departments, prompted the squad to purchase the boat
earlier this year.
North Hudson fire officials took the boat our of the Lincoln
Harbor Marina, where it is based, for a demonstration cruise
Monday.
The 27-foot Marine 1, which can pump 550 gallons of water per
minute, is small for a fireboat - about one-quarter the size and a
fraction of the pumping capacity of New York City's main boats. But
the stream of water it pumps can reach the fourth floor of a
waterfront condo or office building. And with a top speed of 30
knots, or 35 miles per hour, and a shallow draft of 2.5 feet, it
can get to the riverfront's many shallow spots in a hurry.
"Obviously, we're part of the overall river response team,"
Welz said. "But this was designed specifically to accommodate the
needs of the residents of North Hudson."
Formed in 1999, the regional squad serves the waterfront
communities of Weehawken, West New York, Guttenberg and North
Bergen, plus landlocked Union City. Officials said the 310-member
squad, with an annual budget of $32 million, has saved about $15
million in administrative costs since its founding.
"Collectively now, we can afford something and we can provide a
higher level or service," said Mayor Richard Turner of Weehawken,
who chairs the squad's board of directors.
Purchasing the boat used from the Stony Point, N.Y., Fire
Department in Rockland County, also saved money, officials said.
The $30,000 price was about $50,000 less than what a comparable new
boat would have cost.

Jim Long, a spokesman for the FDNY, said the department's Marine
Operations unit has three active boats, including the 129-foot
McKean, with a capacity of 19,000 gallons per minute, and the Fire
and Smoke, a 134-foot boat that can throw 20,000 gallons of water
on a fire every minute.
"We do respond to fires in Jersey," Long said.
That includes the ports in Newark and Elizabeth operated by the
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which has no fire boats,
said Bill Cahill, an agency spokesman.
The new boat puts North Hudson in position to return the favor.
"If we were in need and the North Hudson Regional Fire and
Rescue was in a position to help, it would be welcomed," Long
said.

(Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

APTV 07-26-04 1800EDT

[hwoods]

I noted the Shallow Draft Capabilities of this vessel. Will this allow the Boat to respond to assist NJFFS in the Ramapo Mountains?? Looks like they could go up the Hudson to the GW Bridge, Hang a left, then head up 4 to Oakland........

[FightingDevil]

Originally posted by hwoods
I noted the Shallow Draft Capabilities of this vessel. Will this allow the Boat to respond to assist NJFFS in the Ramapo Mountains?? Looks like they could go up the Hudson to the GW Bridge, Hang a left, then head up 4 to Oakland........

Now that's Funny, Chief!!!!!

On the way up 4 and onto 208, they can stop over in Fair Lawn and pick up the 'Fair Lawn Navy' (2 or 3 boats/zodiacs, I believe!) and head straight up 208 to help Ed out in Oakland!!

That's one heck of a shallow draft!!!

[NJFFSA16]

I don't know about that fellas....there ain't no drawbridges on those overpasses.

And, could you imagine the look on my Division officer's face when he got the fire bill?

[GeorgeWendtCFI]

When you are talking bad about regionalization, remember this story.

Not one of those departments could have afforded this valuable piece of equipment. housed it, maintained it and staffed it on their own. But this regionalization effort, which, despite some early personnel problems, has generally been succesful. It should be a model for other areasin North Jersey (Essex County minus Newark for one).

[hwoods]

George is correct on this, and I overlooked that in poking a little fun at Ed. There are lots of things that can be done when folks pool their resources, this is a good example. I do have one question for anyone who is familiar with North Hudson. A small bit of information in a trade publication led me to believe that there were Volunteers in the Departments that were merged, but after the merger, the Volunteers were forced out. Anyone got anything on this??

[GeorgeWendtCFI]

Originally posted by hwoods
George is correct on this, and I overlooked that in poking a little fun at Ed. There are lots of things that can be done when folks pool their resources, this is a good example. I do have one question for anyone who is familiar with North Hudson. A small bit of information in a trade publication led me to believe that there were Volunteers in the Departments that were merged, but after the merger, the Volunteers were forced out. Anyone got anything on this??

There was only one volunteer dept. in the towns involved in this merger, the Guttenberg FD. Guttenberg is a town that is about 6 city blocks square, but had a fairly large population. While I know that the volunteers no longer operate, I am not sure that it is a fair characterization to say that they were "forced out".

[hwoods]

Appreciate the info. My Source was a rundown on Apparatus used by North Hudson, that appeared in Fire Apparatus Journal. While I don't remember the exact phrase, there was reference to an Engine that had been used by the Guttenburg Volunteers, that had been reassigned, leaving the Volunteers with no apparatus.......