THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, July 27, 1996 TAG: 9607270257
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ELIZABETH THIEL, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: 69 lines
With a rumble and a puff of outboard engine exhaust, Chesapeake's new fireboat took its maiden voyage Friday in the waters it will call home.
The delivery of the 30-foot vessel, by trailer from the manufacturer in Massachusetts to a boat ramp along the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River, marks a milestone for firefighting in South Hampton Roads.
Chesapeake is the first of the five cities to get a high-powered fire boat, a craft capable of sucking up a huge amount of river or ocean water and shooting it onto ship or shoreline fires.
Norfolk has a combination fire and police boat with a small-capacity water pump. Virginia Beach fire officials have discussed the idea of getting one, but cost is a major concern.
The Chesapeake Fire Department might never have been able to afford a fire boat; the vessel was purchased by the city's volunteer firefighters, who spent more than 10 years raising the $150,000 purchase price.
``We think it's going to be a plus for the area, not just for the city,'' said Harry C. Slaughter, a retired deputy fire chief and member of the Chesapeake Volunteer Firefighters.
The aluminum-hulled vessel has twin 225-horsepower Johnson engines that will carry it up to 40 miles per hour. It has radar and Global Positioning Systems technology. Its Ford 8-cylinder pump will spray a blaze with 1,500 gallons of water per minute.
It is painted bright red, white and gray.
Volunteer firefighters will continue soliciting donations of money and services to maintain and operate it. They're looking to other area cities to help too.
``We need some help from the folks who are actually going to use this thing,'' Slaughter said.
Michael A. D'Angiolillo, acting president of the volunteer firefighters, said he expects it to cost about $12,000 a year for basic operation and maintenance, not including any major repair work the boat might need.
It will be docked at a slip in Great Bridge.
The boat will be staffed by volunteer firefighters, who will be trained to battle fires from a boat. Professional firefighters will help as needed.
The vessel will be available to fight fires anywhere in Hampton Roads. Major ship or port fires are relatively infrequent, but small boat fires are more common.
Chesapeake Deputy Fire Chief Edmund E. Elliott said the boat is welcome in a coastal region that in the past has been ill-equipped to deal with fires on or along waterways.
``It would be great if everybody had one,'' Elliott said. ``But the reality is that fireboats are very expensive.''
Until recently, area firefighters had to rely on the Navy, which has tugboats outfitted with water pumps. If the Navy's tugs are busy, they're not available to help fight fires elsewhere.
The Maritime Incident Response Team, a regional firefighting team run by the Virginia Port Authority, has tried to fill the void by purchasing high-powered portable pumps, which can be trucked anywhere and mounted on tugboats or barges. The pumps are less expensive to maintain than fire boats. The team has one pump now for South Hampton Roads; another will be purchased soon for the Peninsula.
William A. Burket, the team's director and a Virginia Beach firefighter, said Chesapeake's new boat could supplement the portable pumps.
``The Chesapeake boat is going to be a great addition to our firefighting capabilities,'' he said. MEMO: TO HELP
Chesapeake Volunteer Firefighters is looking for goods, services,
money or volunteers to help operate the new fireboat. The group needs a
variety of items, such as life preservers, boat ropes and bumpers. If
you are interested in volunteering or making a contribution, call Harry
C. Slaughter, 487-6343, or Michael A. D'Angiolillo, 487-4825. by CNB