Michelle Turner Photo
New Haven wants to buy a new fire boat — a big fire boat.
City officials pitched the idea to the Board of Aldermen’s Public Safety Committee at City Hall Wednesday night.
The committee voted unanimously to allow the city to accept a $1,132,969.07 grant to buy the new boat, a 36-foot Class 1 maritime vessel, from the federal Department of Homeland Security, assuming it gets the grant. The city has put in an application for the money.
The matter now goes before the full board for approval.
The city has been without a fire boat since decommissioning the “Sally Lee,” named after former Mayor Dick Lee’s daughter, some 20 years ago after its motor died.
The new vessel would be a different breed, retrofitted for the Age of Terror.
City Chief Administrative Officer Rob Smuts and Fire Chief Michael Grant described the dream boat at Wednesday night’s meeting.
They said the 36-foot boat would pump 5,000 gallons of water per minute. It would protect New Haven Harbor from chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive threats through sonar scan. A staff or five or six would run the vessel.
Bridgeport has the only fire boat between New York and Boston.
“We are heavily dependent on mutual aid,” Grant said.
That means if there is a fire off shore, boats usually dedicated to search and rescue, from Branford and West Haven, pitch in. Grant said the vessel would solidify fire protection off shore on New Haven Harbor and along the shoreline. “With planes taking off daily from Tweed-New Haven, we’re lucky we haven’t had a plane go down in the Sound [or any] major incident since the Sally Lee has been down,” Grant said. No extra positions would be created for the vessel; the fire department will train firefighters to run and staff it.
The city would apply for the money under Homeland Security’s Ports Security Grant Program.” The program’s official purpose: “provide funds for a sustainable risk based effort to protect critical port infrastructure from terrorism, particularly explosive and other non-conventional threats that would cause a significant loss of life and major economic impact to the Port.”
If the city gets the money, construction for a slip to place the boat would begin in December, Smuts said. Construction bids would go out in April, and completion would be in 2012. Smuts said the city would accept the money only if the feds waive a requirement that New Haven add matching money. The money would also pay for training 70 first responders.
The Coast Guard doesn’t fight fires, according to Chief Grant. And it’s difficult to get the Guard to do search and rescue, since its main concern is protection of the Sound.
Grant gave a scenario for which the boat would be used: a fire is deliberately set at the oil tanks by the harbor. The vessel would enable firefighters to help landlocked colleagues douse the blaze.
Melissa Bailey Photo
The new vessel would be kept either at the New Haven Terminal or Gateway Terminal. “Gateway has expressed their offer to help,” Chief Grant said. To which aldermanic committee Chairman Alex Rhodeen [pictured] retorted: “Tell them to pay their taxes”.
West Rock Alderman Darnell Goldson had another question about the boat.
“Would it survive a nuclear blast?” he asked.
“No,” Smuts responded, but it can detect radiation in the area, and help firefighters contain the boat where it’s found and keep the people safe who have to work in that area.
I'm surprised to hear that NH doesn't already have a (functional) fire boat. This is probably a good idea.
A few thoughts:
What is the operating budget for this boat per year (fuel, maintenance, etc.)? Is this something the city can afford?
Related to this point - given that this boat will be protecting the harbor and the whole coast line, this sounds like a great REGIONAL asset, which means that the entire region should be footing the bill for the operating costs. I think the mayor should take this to the South Central Regional Council of Governments and see if/demand that all of the 15 towns in the region, or at very least the 8 towns on the coast, chip in to pay the operating expenses. If not them, then how about the Department of Emergency Management/Homeland Security region that includes New Haven. They might have money to pay for the operating costs.
One factual question - the article refers to this as both a 36 foot boat and a 65 foot boat. Can the NHI please clarify?
[Editor's Note: Thanks for pointing that out! It's 36. Editing error.]