March 18--The city's shiny, new $4.2 million state-of-the art fire boat -- dedicated with great fanfare just six months ago and funded in part by federal stimulus money -- has already suffered pump problems and is being yanked out of the water for a hull inspection, the Herald has learned.
The 71-foot John S. Damrell, which was paid for jointly with federal and city funds, was purchased from a Canadian ship builder to replace the Boston Fire Department's problem-plagued, 40-year-old boat, The Firefighter. But the acclaimed vessel -- christened in Charlestown last September -- has already had to undergo pump repairs and will be pulled out of the water in the next few weeks and put in dry dock for maintenance inspections, BFD spokesman Steve MacDonald confirmed.
News of the Damrell's impending drydocking comes as another Boston fire boat, the 27-foot Norman Knight, has been out of service for nearly two years due to broken water pumps, a malfunctioning generator and other maintenance problems. That vessel, which was donated to the department by actor Denis Leary, sat on blocks in a BFD maintenance garage on Massachusetts Avenue until last week, when it was put back in the water just days after a Herald inquiry.
The Norman Knight's absence became an issue three weeks ago when a fire broke out at the Dorchester Yacht Club. With the Knight out of service, a Massport boat had to assist firefighters in dousing the flames.
The Damrell also responded but was too large to fit under an unmanned drawbridge that provides access to the yacht club. By the time the massive vessel arrived at the scene, the fire was out, MacDonald said.
The Damrell's drydocking comes just as boating season kicks in and as guarding against terrorist attacks on LNG tankers remains a top priority of Mayor Thomas M. Menino.
In addition to voicing general waterfront safety concerns, Menino has long complained that tankers delivering liquid natural gas in Boston Harbor are vulnerable to terrorists. Just last May, in the wake of Osama bin Laden's death, Menino and top public safety officials issued a warning about the devastating potential of an LNG attack.
But officials say there is adequate waterfront fire protection, noting that in addition to the department's own boats, Massport and the Coast Guard also have firefighting vessels.
MacDonald called the checks on the Damrell "routine" and said they are part of a program by the manufacturer as part of its warranty.
"The manufacturer wants to check the boat -- the hull and the paint -- to see how after six months in the water everything is holding up," MacDonald said. The boat's jet drives will also be inspected by a separate manufacturer. It's unknown how long the vessel will be out of service, MacDonald said.
However, questions about the vessel's seaworthiness were a primary topic at a recent meeting of top fire brass, sources said.
The Damrell has been hailed as an ultramodern vessel -- identical to those used by the U.S. Navy and other federal agencies. It has five water cannons capable of shooting 13,000 gallons of water per minute and can speed across the ocean at up to 40 mph.
The Damrell, which is docked along the Mystic River off Commercial Street, was purchased after several Herald reports detailed the woeful condition of The Firefighter.
Copyright 2012 - Boston Herald
