FDNY Launches New Fireboat to Honor all FDNY Members Lost on Sept. 11

The FDNY's new fireboat, Three Forty Three, at the Eastern Shipbuilding Group shipyard in Panama City, Fla.

The FDNY Marine Division's newest fireboat, Three Forty Three, was launched on Sept. 11, during a ceremony at the Eastern Shipbuilding Group shipyard in Panama City, Fla. 

The ship is named in honor of all FDNY members killed in the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.  The launch ceremony included the traditional breaking of a champagne bottle across the bow, followed by the first splash down of the ship into the sea.

The Three Forty Three is expected to arrive in New York City in December and will be assigned to Marine 1, stationed on the Hudson River in Manhattan. The fireboat will replace the 50-year-old John D. McKean. A second ship currently under construction, Fire Fighter II, will eventually replace the 50-year-old Fire Fighter, and will be assigned to Marine 9 on Staten Island.

Both boats were funded, in large part, by more than $40 million dollars in grants from the Department of Homeland Security.  Eastern Shipbuilding Group was awarded the contract for detailed design and construction of the ships on Dec. 28, 2007.  The fireboat's original design is from naval architectural firm Robert Allan Ltd. of Vancouver, B.C.

The 140-foot, 500-ton, $27 million dollar Three Forty Three will be the country's largest fireboat with a maximum speed of 18 knots.  The new boat will provide the FDNY with the latest technology available for Marine vessels, including the capability of pumping 50,000 gallons of water per minute; nearly 30,000 gallons more than its predecessor.

The Three Forty Three before it was launched on Sept. 11. The boat was named to honor the 343 FDNY members who were lost on Sept. 11, 2001.

The Three Forty Three has been designed, with the assistance of U.S. Navy engineers from the U.S. military's Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical and Biological Defense and Naval Sea Systems Command, to detect and protect firefighters from chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear agents.  The ship contains a pressurized area that filters the air supply using special charcoal and high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters, allowing the crew members to operate when needed in hostile environments.  Decontamination and first aid can be handled aboard the ship as well by means of a de-con shower area that leads to a triage and first-aid station.

It also features a forward ballast tank which lowers the boat in the water to match its deck with larger ferries that operate in the waters around New York City.  This feature will allow the fireboat to safely transfer and evacuate people in an emergency.  The ship's pilot house is configured to allow the Captain a 360-degree view of an operation, which can assist with maneuvering the vessel in tight quarters.  In addition, the Three Forty Three has a command and control area where the ship's officers will be able to monitor and direct fire operations with the aid of remote cameras and state-of-the-art communication equipment.

The FDNY Marine Fleet consists of more than 30 vessels responsible for more than 450 miles of coastline and harbors and has protected New York City residents for 134 years.

Watch a video of the launch at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XF2LPd2QVuc