MetalCraft Marine

Quinte New Net News reports on the new navigation equipment provided to Quinte Search and Rescue thanks to Veridian Connections, Belleville's electricity provider.

The vessel in the video is a MetalCraft Marine Kingfisher 28 that was dedicated last August.

An impressive fire nearly destroyed a 105-foot luxury charter boat at Fishermen's Terminal in Seattle last week, with the Seattle FD's FireStorm 50 fireboat responding.

• We have photos sent by Seattle firefighters we've uploaded to our Flickr page.

• Here's the story and photos from The Seattle Times.

• The story reported by The Herald

• More great photos from SeattlePi.

Here are two nice accounts of the recent fireboat delivery to the Salisbury MD Fire Department.

• Some great pictures posted by the Lower Eastern Shore News.

• An account by WBOC Channel 16 News including video and photos.

A 3 day Pump School was recently held by the Kingston Fire Department for 3 MCM employees: Jay Milner (Project Manager) Mike Marshall (Fit out) and Joe DaSilva (Fit out).

The lads look pretty good in battle gear, don't they? Click for a larger version.

Here Bob and Ian explain some of the key features of the new Sentry 32 to WorkBoat.com online editor Sam Pfeifle at the 2011 International Workboat Show.

We are pleased to display three recent FireStorm Fireboat deliveres to new customers.

• A FireStorm 50 for the Camden NJ Fire Department, delivered in November 2011.

• A FireStorm 36 for the Canaveral FL Port Authority, delivered in Summer 2011.

• A FireStorm 30 for the City of Delaware DE Fire and Rescue, delivered in Summer 2011.

Camden Fire Department

FireStorm 50 Camden Fire Department
Max speed	44 Knots
L.O.A.	50' 5"
B.O.A.	16' 8"
Weight	52000 lbs
Horsepower	2250 hp.
Pump	3 Hale
Discharges	five monitors; 2 LDH
Flow	11,000 GPM
Engine	3 Iveco
Jets	Triple Hamilton
Other	CBRNE; Ice belt

Canaveral Port Authority, FL

FireStorm 36 Canaveral Port Authority, FL
Max speed	37 Knots
L.O.A.	39' 2"
B.O.A.	13'
Horsepower	900 hp.
Pump	Darley
Discharges	4 monitors; 2 LDH
Flow	2,375 GPM
Engine	2 Iveco
Jets	2 Hamilton
Other	Glass bead finish

City of Delaware, DE

FireStorm 30 City of Delaware, DE
Max speed	40 Knots
L.O.A.	34'
B.O.A.	10' 9"
Weight	16,236 lbs
Horsepower	840 hp.
Pump	Hale
Discharges	3 monitors; 1 LDH
Flow	2,700 GPM
Engine	2 Iveco
Jets	2 Hamilton
Other	CBRNE; Foam; Aft helm.

A huge fire at Fire Island Pines, on Long Island NY, last night.

The Fire Island Pines Fire Department was one of 22 area departments responding to a 9:15 p.m. call, according to police.

Sources tell us that East Islip's FireStorm 30 fireboat attended and pumped for hours.

Here's the Greater Kingston Chamber of Commerce press release from their annual President's Gala, featuring the 2011 Business Achievement Awards.

Large Business of the Year: MetalCraft Marine.

MetalCraft Marine designs and builds high-speed fire/rescue, patrol and workboats. They maintain their dominance and superior quality through a number of factors: constant innovation through R&D; strong relationships with customers — 90% of their business comes from referrals; and their enthusiasm for unique engineering. These factors enabled them to outperform the competition.

MetalCraft has added 22 employees since 2008 and continues to add more employees every day. Since 2008, MetalCraft Marine has increased its sales by sixty-five percent.

Bob Clark accepted the award.

Interesting story from Cornelius, NC, who have a FireStorm 30 in service at their disposal.

For the first time, Cornelius firefighters used a new fire boat to get the flames under control.

The boat arrived on the scene shortly after the call came in, and firefighters then attached a hose to it and started pumping 2,400 gallons of water per minute onto the flames.

"A fire this big overwhelms the domestic supply from the fire hydrants, so we use this -- a fire hydrant with an endless supply of water", Capt. Greg Shaner said.

Watch the video; there's an excellent point about operating in very shallow water, which Cornelius' Fire Boat 4 is designed to do.

This from WMTW in Portland Maine on October 20th 2011.

Too bad it wasn't a jet-powered fireboat.

Portland's 2-year-old fireboat has sustained damage after striking an underwater object.

Fire Chief Fred LaMontagne tells The Portland Press Herald that the accident happened last weekend while The City of Portland IV was on a navigational training run on the far side of Fort Gorges.

It wasn't immediately clear what the vessel struck, but LaMontagne said the impact damaged a propeller and a rudder and sheared off a shaft. No one was hurt.

It was the second time that the $32 million fireboat has been damaged since it was put into service a little more than two years ago.

The vessel sustained $90,000 in damage and was out of commission for about three months after running aground in November 2009 in Whitehead Passage.

Patrol Boat-1 is our first ever electric powered patrol boat. It's designed and built the boat for the City of Annapolis' Harbormaster.

The boat uses a Steyr hybrid diesel/electric engine that permits either electric power or, for higher speeds, diesel power.

The propulsion is a Hamilton 213 waterjet. The jet can propel the boat in electric patrol mode at 4.5 knots, as it approaches and checks boats in the harbor ensuring anchoring permits are valid. To get to other areas of the expansive harbour the diesel propels the boat to 30 knots and recharges the batteries.

The design challenge was how to provide enough battery power to meet the boat?s operational profile in such a small boat (23' X 8'6") and still be able to get on plane.

MetalCraft designed the 48-volt battery pack, with high output solar assist panel array, around commercial off-the-shelf 31 series high amp hour batteries. This allows the Annapolis Harbourmaster to easily replace the batteries when they age.

The batteries have a 4-6 year life expectancy. The total value of the eight batteries is $2,600.00. The estimated fuel savings is $550.00 per month.

The reduction in overall engine maintenance is significant, including a major reduction in oil changes from 24 to 7.2 oil changes per year. This, added to 70% less engine wear, and the savings to operations start to add up.

The speed penalty for the added weight of batteries and electric power system is approximately 4 knots in high speed diesel mode.

MCM will be introducing additional models in the Kingston Electric Series and will introduce electric power systems in the Brunswick Sentry line in the near future.

MetalCraft acknowledges and thanks the National Research Council of Canada and the Mid Atlantic Regional Air Management Association for their important contributions to this ground project.

We are pleased to announce that we are moving from our current location in Clayton, NY to a larger facility 15-miles West in Cape Vincent, NY.

The new location is at the Anchor Marina on Route 12.

We have been in Clayton, NY since 2007. We recently spent considerable time looking for larger facilities in Clayton area and we received great support from local officials.

In the end we were unable to find suitable space on-water for launching our larger boats such as the FireStorm 70 and our new Sentry line of stealth patrol craft.

We have been working with the State of New York to help with site upgrades and training for new staff. We expect to increase our upstate New York staff from the current 11 people to 15 to 18 people within a year. We will be hiring aluminum welders, metal fitters, mechanics, electricians and interior finishers.

We currently have 87 employees in Kingston, Ontario.

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There is an interesting battle currently happening in Miami-Dade County.

On one side, City officials who want to cut fireboat service to balance budgets.

On the other, first-responders and citizens that maintain that Fireboats are great investments, and beware of false economies.

Some good video on the subject.

Disclosure: Miami-Dade County has two MetalCraft Marine fireboats.

Virginia's Newport News Fire Department Marine Incident Response Team and their MetalCraft Marine FireStorm 30 is featured in this CBC News video about a couple (and their pet cat) aboard a small live-aboard sailboat who apparently tried to out-run hurricane Irene off the coast of Virginia.

This incident, and its safe outcome for all, was widely reported by news networks and media across North America.

Here's a nice article in Kingston This Week about the John S. Damrell, the FireStorm 70 soon to be delivered to the City of Boston Fire Department.

Special thanks to Rob Mooy, Photo Editor at Kingston This Week, for the photos.

Kingston builds 'biggest and baddest' fireboat

"A monster," "far superior," "the biggest and the baddest."

Meet MetalCraft Marine's latest fireboat, the FireStorm 70.

The company based in the Kingston Marina, completed work on the FireStorm 70 three weeks ago, and will be sailing the 70-footer down to its purchasers in Boston later this month.

On August 11, the Kingston crew took guests out for a test run near Kingston Marina, and the boat did not disappoint.

"Boston has a number of fireboats but nothing with this capability. This can pump about 12,000 gallons per minute," says Jay Milner, account manager for MetalCraft Marine. "The other fireboats Boston has are a lot slower. And the faster ones they have are very tiny, in comparison to this monster. It was a quick sell."

The City of Boston is purchasing the fireboat, equipped with chemical, biological and radiological emergency response capability, for the Boston Fire Department.

It replaces their current fireboat "Firefighter," which has been in service since 1972 and does not have the capabilities needed for a modern emergency response fireboat.

In a recent press release, Commissioner Roderick Fraser of the City of Boston said the FireStorm 70 will also have state of the art navigation systems as well as water jet propulsion, and is designed to operate in a chemical or biological contaminated environment.

"This boat is light years ahead of the current fireboat and will greatly enhance our response capability anywhere in Boston Harbor," he said.

"It's far superior to a fire truck because it's got a water supply that will never end, and manoeuverability," says Tom Wroe, President of MetalCraft Marine.

The boat will be named John S. Damrell after the former Chief Engineer of the Boston Fire Department who battled Boston's Great Fire of 1872.

It is the third 70-footer made by MetalCraft Marine. The first was sold to Tampa, FL, and the second to Jacksonville, FL.

According to Milner, Kingston has been looking at buying a fireboat from MetalCraft Marine, but it is unlikely to be anything near of the size of the FireStorm 70, most likely it will in the 40-46 ft. range.

"Kingston needs one of these," says Milner. "This boat can do 37 knots full tilt, it's just amazing."

MetalCraft Marine has already begun work on their next project, a fireboat for Wilmington, Delaware.

We have some good photos of some of the Kingston 30 Tow Boats commissioned by US Navy.

These great boats were built by MetalCraft Marine US Inc. in Clayton, NY. The last boat in the contract just departed for for Virginia.

More information in this April 2011 press release

Metalcraft Marine was recently awarded a contract by the United States Navy for the construction of eight of their tow boats. The tow boats will support the US Navy's spill recovery, support and salvage operations worldwide.

Fully loaded the aluminium tow boat can reach speeds of 34 knots with its Single Iveco NEF 450 hp engine rated at 420 hp (309 kW) driving a single UltraJet 305HT High Thrust Waterjet viz a ZF 280 gearbox. UltraJet waterjets were chosen for their high bollard pull for vessel recovery. During sea trials bollard pull tests achieved 3800 lb. Thrust vectoring is with Ultra's Hydromechanical control system with a single helm lever and the hydraulic power-assist steering provides light and responsive directional control.

Quinte Search And Rescue, a volunteer organization, celebrates it's gleaming new MetalCraft Marine Kingfisher 28 rescue boat.

A gleaming new search and rescue vessel dedicated to improving the safety of boaters on the waters of the Bay of Quinte was unveiled by the volunteer members of Quinte Search And Rescue (QSAR).

The vessel, an all-aluminum Kingfisher 29-foot (8.8-metre) craft built by MetalCraft Marine Incorporated, of Kingston, Ontario, and purchased with the help of a generous grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, is QSAR's first purpose-built rescue vessel.

"This new vessel will assist members of QSAR in their response to emergencies and requests for assistance on the Bay of Quinte. The practice of safety on the water is paramount to enjoying recreational activities," Leona Dombrowsky, MPP, Prince Edward-Hastings, told community leaders gathered at a special ceremony August 12, 2011.

"This new rescue vessel will provide for a safer environment when we enjoy the waters of the beautiful Bay of Quinte. This new vessel will also be far more technologically advanced, which only helps the dedicated volunteers who do so much to help those enjoy the Bay Of Quinte safely," said MPP Lou Rinaldi of Northumberland-Quinte West.

"With its all-weather capability and unique design, this new vessel not only improves our effectiveness as a rescue team but enhances the safety of the volunteers who put themselves at risk on the water," explained Howard Garrod, QSAR unit chairperson.

"Making this boat a reality has been a true community effort," Garrod added. "We are very grateful to the Ontario Trillium Foundation for a capital grant, and to the individual and corporate donors who have helped us toward our goal."

The new vessel was commemorated in the name of Lieutenant Colonel Bruce Albert Sutcliffe, DSO, a soldier from the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment who died on the battlefield in World War II. Members of the regiment and two of Sutcliffe's surviving children took part in the commemoration ceremony.

Established in 2005 and incorporated in 2008, QSAR is a community-based volunteer organization committed to providing timely marine search and rescue services in the region, and to promoting boating safety and accident prevention on the water. QSAR serves the communities along the Bay of Quinte -- Belleville, Quinte West, Napanee, the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, Deseronto, Prince Edward County and adjacent areas and waters.

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CBS UK has picked up the rights to Danger Coast.

The reality show features the daily exploits and real life drama of the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Marine Unit.

The show airs in the 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM time slot on several UK channels and reportedly has 6 million viewers shortly after it commenced airing.

We've just received these sweet photos of Miami-Dade County's FireStorm 50 making a spectacle of herself.

Chief Chuck Norris and team from Covington, KY Fire Department took delivery of their new FireStorm 30 Sunday March 27th which will be stationed on the Ohio River across from Cincianti.

MetalCraft Marine would like to welcome the newest addition to the Brunswick Commercial and Government Products (BCGP) and MetalCraft Marine (MCM) partnership, Kelly W. Webb.

In addition to his experience with Aluminum Chambered Boats Inc. (ACB), Kelly brings his worldly background with the U.S Navy and the U.S Coast Guard, working for and with these organizations.

Kelly's expertise is vast and he is a specialist in redefining how ergonomics improve the day-to-day effectiveness of marine operators.

We are proud to have Kelly join the BGCP and MCM partnership.

December 2, 2010 Edgewater, Fla. — Brunswick Commercial and Government Products (BCGP), a leading manufacturer of watercraft for commercial, governmental and military use, has entered into a supply agreement with MetalCraft Marine, Inc (MCM) to promote a series of high-performance aluminum boats. BCGP currently offers 16 models of commercialized Boston Whaler fiberglass boats, and eight Impact rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIBs). Under the agreement with MCM, BCGP's product offering will be expanded to include five aluminum models ranging from 28 – 45 feet.

“MetalCraft has a solid history of building superior quality aluminum boats for commercial and government applications,” said Jeremy Davis, BCGP's sales manager. “They are particularly adept at producing high-performance boats, which is critical in this arena. By joining forces with an established aluminum producer with a solid reputation, BCGP immediately gains access to proven product that complements our existing offering.”

MCM is a fully integrated designer and builder of high-speed aluminum patrol boats, fire/rescue craft, and specialty vessels ranging from 22 – 70 feet. An industry leader in jet propulsion, MetalCraft has been designing and building high-quality commercial and government boats since 1987.

“MetalCraft and Brunswick Commercial and Government Products both are recognized for providing superior quality boats and solid service and support,” said Bob Clark, MetalCraft Marine's contract manager. “This arrangement will give MetalCraft access to Brunswick's expanded sales and service support infrastructure, while giving BCGP access to MetalCraft's expertise in aluminum craft design and manufacturing.”

According to the terms of the agreement, BCGP and MCM will offer five new aluminum models called the “Sentry” series. Each model can be configured for a specific mission, including patrol, special operations, or workboat applications, based on the needs of the purchasing agency. Power options will include inboard diesels, jet drives, sterndrives and outboard engines.

“Now agencies can purchase Boston Whaler fiberglass hulls, Impact RHIBs and aluminum platforms from BCGP with one phone call,” said Davis. “We are excited about this opportunity to expand our offering to address the needs of our customers with a superior caliber product. Naturally, loyal MetalCraft customers can continue to work directly with MetalCraft Marine as they always have,” said Davis.

For more information about the new Sentry series, call Brunswick Commercial and Government Products at 386-423-2900.

About MetalCraft Marine Incorporated
MetalCraft Marine Inc designs and builds custom aluminum patrol boats, fire/rescue boats, and a vast array of other aluminum vessels tailored to meet a variety of unique mission requirements. These vessels typically range from 22 to 70'. Twice winning Great Boat of the Year Honors at the prestigious New Orleans Workboat Show, MetalCraft is a proven leader in innovative design and construction techniques.

About BCGP
Brunswick Commercial & Government Products (BCGP) has been providing superior quality, customizable crafts to commercial and government agencies for more than 50 years. BCGP is a pre-eminent supplier of boats to homeland security, law enforcement, special operations and combat, and fire and rescue agencies. BCGP specializes in providing unsurpassed customer service and support. BCGP is owned by Brunswick Corporation, the largest marine manufacturer in the world.

About Brunswick
Headquartered in Lake Forest, Ill., Brunswick Corporation endeavors to instill "Genuine Ingenuity"(TM) in all its leading consumer brands, including Mercury and Mariner outboard engines; Mercury MerCruiser sterndrives and inboard engines; MotorGuide trolling motors; Attwood marine parts and accessories; Land 'N' Sea, Kellogg Marine, and Diversified Marine parts and accessories distributors; Arvor, Bayliner, Boston Whaler, Cabo Yachts, Crestliner, Cypress Cay, Harris FloteBote, Hatteras, Lowe, Lund, Meridian, Princecraft, Quicksilver, Rayglass, Sea Ray, Sealine, Suncruiser, Trophy, Uttern and Valiant boats; Life Fitness and Hammer Strength fitness equipment; Brunswick bowling centers, equipment and consumer products; Brunswick billiards tables and foosball tables. For more information, visit http://www.brunswick.com.

BCGP Contact: Catherine Morgan
386-423-2934
catherine.morgan@whaler.com

MetalCraft Marine Contact: Emily Roantree
800-410-8464
Emily.R@metalcraftmarine.com

Last week was a busy one in local media as San Diego Harbour Police showed-off two of their expected five FireStorm Fireboats.

Here's a Fox News 5 newscast about the new vessels, including answers to some direct questions about investing in harbour fire apparaus in hard economic times.

Also see this Ports San Diego Youtube video that highlights many of the benefits of the new vessels.

Captain Greg Shaner, of Cornelius-Lemley Fire Rescue in North Carolina just put in service a MetalCraft Marine FireStorm 30 powered with twin Cummins 4.2L diesel engines and twin 241 Hamilton Jets. They will operate on Lake Norman covering 520 miles of shoreline.

The boat was in service less than a week when we were alerted for an overturned sailboat with 2 persons in distress.

Fireboat 4 was first to arrive and rescued both patients from the water. Both patients were treated for hypothermia and exhaustion. Fireboat 4's rear drive station made operating in 30 mph winds and removing the patients from the water safe and effective. Fireboat 4's crew assisted in righting the vessel, and transporting the patients to shore.

This was our first response in our new Firestorm 30 and everything worked perfectly.

--Captain Shaner.

We've also just received a very nice testamonial letter from Captain Shaner.

The 'Pink Heals Tour' Honors Women.

Pictured here: some of the apparatus and personnel from the City of Miami and Miami-Dade County, including two of the MetalCraft Marine fireboats that serve this region.

"We're at war against this terrorist attack called cancer."

Joining their first vessel (FireStorm 50) "Jake Godbold" from MCM, Jacksonville welcomed their 2nd, a FireStorm 70. The bright red vessel matches its predecessor and will be stationed near the main port in Jacksonville, Florida.

The new vessel can hit whopping speeds of 41 knots with its 4 x CAT C-18's @1015 HP per engine & Hamilton 403 water jets. Gearing for pumps and propulsion was from ZF gear of Germany.

Also impressive are the pump numbers��.it produces over 14,092 GPM at 150 PSI & 17,892 GPM @ 120 PSI with Hale quad 8 FKF pumps. The main electronic monitors is a roof mounted Stang 5500 GPM w/450 foot reach and 4 x Elkhart 2000 GPM deck monitors. The foam system can feed all discharges and has a quick change system for 55 gallon drums.

Detection equipment has been installed to detect interior and exterior CBRNE agents; the bridge is an air tight compartment which provides front line defense for the Port and City of Jacksonville.

The camera/Flir system is by Ocean View and can be interfaced with any of the 4 x 19" screens. The system has a split screen camera option which can uplink and be viewed from fire head quarters or aircraft to aid in SAR missions. The datalink system accepts aircraft cameras as well as full radio frequencies.

Ships electronics are Furuno 3-D system, communications by Motorola ICOM & Piratecom. The wireless Piratecom can interface with up to 6 radios and cell phones. For perfect audio ability the system has wind and engine filters, so that in noisy environments the operators can communicate clearly.

The $4.7 Million dollar vessel took 12 months to construct and was funded through a 2008 Port Security Grant. Hull structure is built to ABS & IACS standards.

Chief Larry Peterson and his team are excited about the new arrival, which was delivered from MCM Kingston, Ontario Canada September 2010 via Lake Ontario to the Erie barge Canal, down the Hudson and out at NYC and followed along the Eastern Seaboard. Trip took 12 days with many stops along the way. Tampa Fire/Rescue had a similar boat take the same trip a year ago.

Nine years ago, MetalCraft produced the first FireStorm and has not turned back. Each boat having a unique and personalized flavor chosen by our customers. MetalCraft has been designing and building boats since 1987.

Check out this great Flickr slideshow from Jacksonville's FireStorm 69 sea trials, showing a high-speed crash-stop.

Pay particular attention to the water tower and the sailboat in the background. This fireboat stops-on-a-dime.

Here's a link to the whole Crash-Stop photo set, featuring other boats built in the past.

Here's the announcement by the City of Boston about their order for a MetalCraft Marine Firestorm 69 fireboat.

The City of Boston is purchasing a new state of the art fireboat with Chemical, Biological and Radiological emergency response capability for the Boston Fire Department. This new vessel will replace the current fireboat "FIREFIGHTER" which has been in service since 1972 and does not have the capabilities needed for a modern emergency response fireboat.

Here's a link to Kingston's CKWS-TV News feature on MetalCraft Marine.

IT MAY BE KINGSTON'S BEST KEPT SECRET.

MetalCraft Marine just delivered two Crash Rescue Kingston 32 RIBs to the Beirut International Airport in Lebanon, which is directly adjacent to the Mediterranean Sea.

Here are some of the vessel details:

9.75M Molded length
LOA: 11.045M
Beam: 2.67M
Max height from waterline: 3.32m with the mast up
Highest point with Arch folded down: 2.64m
Vessel freeboard at the bow: 1.06m
Vessel freeboard at stern: 48 cm
Displacement: 7290Kg
Draft: 60 cm (Dry)
Iveco N67 Engine: 420hp at 3000 rpm
ZF 280-1 Gearbox
Twin 274 Hamilton Jet Drive units
Four Zodiac 75 Person Reversible Life rafts
Elkhart Brass Electronic Monitor
Fire Pump: HALE Bronze 5677 LPM
Pump Boss Pressure Governor
1800 BTU roof mount Air Conditioning unit
3Kw Mobile Electric Power systems Inc.
AC Power Generator
Wing inflatables 10M RIB Positive flotation collar

It's a sweet package.

Danger Coast Episodes from the CMT Network featuring MetalCraft Marine FireStorm vessels are now visible in Canada.

At MetalCraft Marine we are sea-trialing our newest vessel, a FireStorm 70 for Jacksonville Fire/Rescue.

This fireboat will pump close to 13,000 GPM, and has hit speeds of 42 knots.

This magnificent and speedy firefighting machine is due for delivery via water sometime in early September 2010. You can view it at our Open House Event on August 20th.

The Martha's Vineyard Times has an excellent article about an epic boathouse fire at Coast Guard Station Menemsha.

The pictures are and video are just spectacular.

Oak Bluffs Fire/Rescue was called to the scene. Their fire-equipped MetalCraft Marine Kingston 36 (details here) was instrumental in taming the blaze.

Some quotes from The Martha's Vineyard Times:

Oak Bluffs provided a firefighting boat that raced up Vineyard Sound and arrived to play a crucial role in the battle.

And this:

Mr. Olsen praised the Island community response and said he was thankful for the Oak Bluffs fireboat which, he said, helped push the fire back down the dock.

The Kingston Ontario Fire Department responded to an impressive fire at Rideau Marina on July 17 2010 with their MetalCraft Marine re-fitted fireboat

The maintenance shop was completely destroyed.

Here are more photos of the vessel responding as well as some impressive land-side photos of the blaze in the Kingston Whig Standard and a video segment of the vessel from CKWS-TV news.

KINGSTON FIRE RESCUE ALSO BROUGHT IN THEIR NEWLY COMMISSIONED FIREBOAT - THE H.T. PATTERSON.

BULLOCK:

"THAT WAS INSTRUMENTAL TO BRINGING FINAL EXTINGUISHMENT TO THIS FIRE AND SAVING THE BOAT STORAGE BUILDING. IT PROVED ITS WORTH".

Hazmat crews from East Providence and Providence Fire Departments, using MetalCraft Marine FireStorm CBRN-equipped fireboats, work to secure fishing boat after mustard gas leak injures one fisherman and contaminates the dragger.

The military used the ocean as a dumping ground for munitions from after World War II through 1970. While the tons of old chemical weapons in offshore waters present a danger to fishermen, experts don't believe they are a possible source of weapons for terrorists.

The Atlantic City, N.J.-based vessel was fishing Sunday in a charted munitions dumping zone, but the designation is just a warning and carries no fishing restrictions, Rhodes said.

The two shells � about a foot long and three inches in diameter � came aboard in a haul of clams. The Coast Guard believes one of the shells cracked or otherwise leaked its contents.

Here's a great news story about how Tampa Fire & Rescue's FireStorm 69, The Patriot, was pivotal in extinguishing a raging fire in a conveyor system at the Port of Tampa.

Quoting Fox-News Channel 13:

The firefighters on the dock were having a difficult time getting the blaze under control, Captain Bill Wade told FOX 13, and using the vessel on the water side made it possible to attack the flames from two different angles.

"With this vessel, the way that it's built, it's set up not only as a fire fighting vessel but also as a command and control vessel," Wade said. "The firefighters on this vessel had the ability to see what's going on with this ship that is burning, they can control the situation from their side and make sure that fire crews are acting safely, because fighting a ship is much different than fighting a fire in a building."

There is one hose on the top of the Patriot, along with two in front and two at the back of the vessel. They can pump a total of 13,500 gallons of water per minute. Captain Wade says that is about the equivalent of nine fire trucks.

Two videos of the incident. The first from Fox News, the second from Tampa Fire Rescue.

It's clear from these videos that water-side access can be much more flexible and effective in fighting fires in-port. Note how constrained the land-side firetrucks appear to be in this instance.

A 71-foot yacht burned for nearly eight hours at the Sunset Harbor Yacht Club in Daytona, Florida.

"Without a fireboat, we were pretty limited in what we could do," Daytona Beach fire Battalion Chief Dru Driscoll said, explaining that his department hasn't had such a boat for the past eight years. "The Coast Guard came in around noon, but they have policies that restrict them from getting next to the boat, so that added to the delay."

Warwick, Rhode Island-based Marine 4, a MetalCraft Marine FireStorm 30 figures prominently in this WCVB-TV 5 News Report about the response and rescue effort following a tragic accident that killed two young Massachusetts women Sunday night on Narragansett Bay.

Al Thomas reports from the flooding in Nashville, about their high-speed FireStorm 40 aluminum fireboat:

The boat is in great shape. We have had it busy constantly for six days, and it is performing flawlessly. Two marinas were flooded and several docks had broken loose, and we were able to reposition those and secure them. We also had a barge on the river in downtown Nashville that is used for public events that had broken loose from it's mooring, and we used cables to re-secure it. The Cumberland river crested over 14 feet above flood stage, and we had to move the boat to a marina downstream which is several miles from the riverfront area.

Two videos featuring Tampa's MetalCraft FireStorm 69 fireboat from The Battalion series.

Watch the promos for CMT's Danger Coast featuring a fully engulfed 56-foot Carver and TWO MetalCraft Marine fireboats.

Here's more about the episode including biographies of the firecrews and some good pictures.

More CMT Shows   More CMT Videos

Here's a KGO-San Francisco video news item of a boat fire at Schoonmaker Point in Sausalito.

A 32-foot cabin cruiser is burning and fire officials are trying to keep it from spreading to nearby boats.

The vessel responding is Southern Marin Fire District's MetalCraft Marine FireStorm 30.

Here's another news item from June 2009 showing great video of the same vessel taking care of business during a fire in a group of houseboats at Liberty Dock on the Sausalito waterfront.

A 56-foot 2002 Carver yacht caught fire and sank yesterday off Key Biscayne.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Fireboat 1 tried to save the Kemosabe without success. As the stricken yacht sent a plume of smoke into the sky that could be seen for miles, fire crews drenched the boat with foam in an attempt to control the flames.

Check out this great article about us in the March 10th edition of The Globe and Mail's Report on Business.

Here's a good slide gallery of the Osage Beach, Missouri FireStrom 30 extinguishing a raging fire at a lakefront home.

Here's a good news story from Perth Amboy, New Jersey, whose FireStorm 36 completely extinguished a raging boat-fire.

The bulk of the fire was knocked down from a distance utilizing the monitor on the front of the fire boat. As the fire started to darken down, firefighters were able to get closer to the boat to extinguish the remainder of the fire utilizing a hand line.

See a larger readable version.

We're proud to share this testimonial from Scott Appleby, Director, Office of Emergency Management & Homeland Security, City of Bridgeport, Connecticut.

The boat is tremendous and will be a great asset to our community and State when dealing with issues pertaining to fire and search & search rescue operations.

He's referring to the City of Bridgeport FireBrand 28 fireboat pictured here.

Here's a scan of a January 4 2010 article in The Kingston Whig-Standard about early-winter sea trials of four high-speed crew/patrol boats we're building for Panama.

MetalCraft's FireStrom 69 has been namd the 2009 Workboat of the Year by Marine News magazine.

This is the third time MetalCraft Marin has won this award:

• In 2009 for the FireStorm 69.

• In 2002 for the FireStorm 36.

• In 1999 for the 65-foot Polar Barge.

Check out this interesting and fast-moving interview by Dave Gardy with MetalCraft Marine Contracts Manager Bob Clark from the tradeshow floor of the 2009 International WorkBoat Convention which just concluded in New Orleans, LA.

MetalCraft's customers report that 75-80% of rescues are in shallow water or on shores that are inaccessible by road or air vehicles.

Here is video of damage to a prop-driven Portland Maine Fireboat. The story tells more about what happened.

November 1st in Perth Amboy, NJ, the owner of a 44-foot cabin cruiser had just started a gasoline powered generator to run a battery charger and it caught fire.

The fire extinguisher was in the forward section of the vessel so the owner elected to jump into his dingy and make for the Raritan Yacht Club instead of facing the possibility of being trapped in the forward part of the boat.

No one was injured.

Shown here an in other photos is Perth Amboy's MetalCraft Marine Firestorm 36 responding.

Update: Story from MyCentralJersey.com.

Two MetalCraft Marine fireboats respond to a 50-foot power-boat fire in Biscayne Bay in late August.

Here's a writup by CBC Channel-4 and dozens of photos from the incident.

Tampa Bay Online reports that the city's newest fireboat, a MetalCraft Marine FireStorm 69, has arrived.

The Patriot, a 69-foot, 52-ton vessel, crossed under the Sunshine Skyway about noon today with jets of water flying 100 feet in all directions. The fireboat was built in Kingston, Ontario, and cost $3.8 million � paid for with a Department of Homeland Security grant.

It arrived just before 2 p.m. at Marjorie Park on Davis Islands.

"It's not just a fire boat or a fire fighting resource," said Scott Ehlers, Tampa Fire Rescue's assistant chief of operations. "It is now a command and control element; it's a security element."

The delivery between Kingston and Tampa Bay was not without incident. The Patriot ran aground on a shallow sandbar at low-tide near St. Augustine, Florida and required assistance to get-off.

Here's an interesting YouTbe video of that experience.

There was no damage whatsoever to the vessel which is designed and built for shallow-water operations.

See more photos of The Patriot from its construction, launch, and sea-trials in Kingston.

Here's a news story with video from WPRI Eyewitness News about Providence, Rhode Island's new FireStrom 30.

WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) - Securing local waterways and protecting the safety of those who use them.

On Wednesday, one fire department unveiled its newest tool that will patrol the Port of Providence.

This is the fourth in a fleet of vessels known as the Port of Providence Marine Strike Team.

The 30 foot, jet powered m4 has a long list of features including infrared cameras, sonar to detect underwater objects a 50 gallon foam tank for chemical and other fires.

She will be available to go anywhere in the state for search and rescue, evacuations and sinking vessels and she can move too, 38 miles per hour and the jets allow her to operate in as little as 20 inches of water.

The half million dollar boat was paid for by a federal security grant.

Here's a story, with video about the Portsmouth NH fire department responding to a massive boat-fire with their MetalCraft Marine FireStorm 30 fireboat in an upriver area that's without road access.

Add saving a whale to what fireboats are useful-for.

Boat crews from the U.S. Coast Guard, along with the Perth Amboy and New York fire departments, spent the next several hours following it and enforcing a protection zone around the mammal, Coast Guard Lt. Caren Damon said. The crews hoped to keep other boats aware of the situation as they waited for the whale to find its way back into the sea.

But what started as a 500-yard perimeter shrunk when the whale swam into the Raritan River and headed toward New Brunswick, Coast Guard and Perth Amboy officials said. At one point it was seen swimming under the railroad bridge between Perth Amboy and South Amboy.

MetalCraft Marine Inc of Kingston Ontario and Clayton New York just rolled out the latest version of their award winning FireStorm-line of fireboats. The new FireStorm 69 will be the fastest fireboat in the world in the over 10,000 GPM class. It is the first NFPA Class 2 vessel built in North America.

On their way to an emergency call the 100,000 lb hull tops out at 40 Miles per Hour. Its super-low draft (28") at speed with quad Hamilton Jet drives and Iveco diesels will permit the Tampa Fire Rescue team to cross shallow areas cutting miles of travel.

The presence of the craft and its state-of-the-art systems will make the port of Tampa one of the safest in the United States. All thanks to an UASI grant from DHS.

Key features include:

• Four Iveco C13 825hp @ 2400rpm,
• Foam System - Accumax 7 discharge,
• 5500 GPM Stang main monitor,
• 2 x 2000 Elkhart monitors and 2 x 1250 Elkhart monitors,
• 4 Hale pumps producing over 13,500 gpm,
• 5 x 5" storz connections,
• Hydraulic crane,
• Jordair scuba/scba cascade refill station,
• full galley and accommodation for 4 crew,
• medical center with fridge, sink and oxygen.
• The vessel also has 2 x Onan 13.5 KW gensets.

The Jacksonville Florida Fire Department has a FireStorm of that size under construction now, due for delivery next summer.

Here are some photos of Tampa's FireStorm 69 fireboat we've recently launched.

Click to see more photos, including some taken during vessel construction.

Here is news, video, and a slideshow of a fire that destroyed a large water-side residence in Miami last week.

Miami-Dade's MetalCraft Marine FireStorm 50 was on scene.

Fire torches two houseboats in Sausalito and a MetalCraft Marine FireStorm 30 responds to the call.

Here's a video created by our customers from Tampa who were recently in-town checking on the progress of their FireStorm 70, presently under construction.

There's been lots of coverage of a four-alarm fire last week in Portsmouth, RI at the New England Boatworks shipyard.

• Photos by photographer Phil Sullivan
• Providence Journal article
• Boston.com
• Video and video (including Lt. Joe Crowshaw)

Some of you might recognize the New England Boatworks : it's famous for building high-tech large racing sailboats including several for skipper Dennis Connor over the years..

Pictured here is one of three MetalCraft Marine FireStorm fireboats that responded to the call.

Here are rollover pictures for MetalCraft Marine Hull #507, a Kingston 50 being built for the Panama Canal Authority.

At MetalCraft Marine, we build all our hulls upside-down, and then we roll-the-hulls-over and then finish vessel construction right-side-up.

We use our outoor 70-ton crane to roll-over the larger hulls and we then attach the housings, which are built separately. This process is what's shown in the photos.

MetalCraft Marine will be building four such vessels for the Panama Canal Authority over the upcoming year.

City of Miami Department of Fire-Rescue has a new edition to their operations, a bright red FireStorm 48, ready to respond to waterborne emergencies within City of Miami waters as well as the overall region covering the Miami Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) under U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Deputy Fire Chief Brad Dougherty and MetalCraft Marine worked extensively and collectively in the design and construction of the new FireStorm 48.

The custom designed boat is powered by twin Iveco C-13's 770 hp @ 2300 rpm and 364 Hamilton jets putting out speeds of up to 37 knots. Twin Darley 1750 fire pumps provide an impressive water flow approaching 4,000 GPM.

The Vessel is also equipped with the Hamilton Jet - Blue Arrow system, a high level integrated operational control system between the water jets, gearboxes, engines and helm station. There are multiple levels of redundancy for safety. The highlight of the system is the "MouseBoat" maneuvering controller. A mouse similar to the mouse for a computer is shaped like a boat and located on a pad at the console. When the MouseBoat is moved in any direction, the boat will react accordingly for ease of maneuverability.

Additionally, the vessel is equipped with extensive operational components and electronics. Some examples include: NVTI stabilized optics consisting of High Resolution Thermal Imager, High Resolution 432X Zoom Color Camera, Ultra Low Lux Day/Night Camera integrated into Furuno large screen stations with Radar/Tracking, GPS Chartplotting, Dual Frequency Sonar/Sounder; Weatherfax; VHFs; Color Cameras covering engine room, decks and underwater; Underwater Lighting; Integrated Alarm Monitoring for vessel systems; 800mhz radios.

Fire Chief William Bryson and the Department are extremely pleased with the new arrival and look forward to providing increased levels of Fire-Rescue emergency services to the community and region.

Five years ago, MetalCraft produced the first FireStorm boat and has not turned back. Each boat having a unique and personalized flavor chosen by our customers. We have been designing and building boats, both power and sail, since 1978 and stand behind our 10-year hull warranty.

And there's compelling video too, from ABC's JustNews.com.

Two MetalCraft Marine fireboats were on the scene (large photo).

The red fireboat on the left is a FireStorm 48 belonging to the City of Miami. The margarita-lime fireboat on its right is a FireStorm 50 from Miami-Dade County.

Also see 4 jump to flee burning yacht in the Miami Sun Sentinal.

Here'a a great video from CBS Channel-4 in Miami about Miami-Dade County's MetalCraft Marine-built high-speed fireboats.

Rhode Island welcomes three new high-speed FireStorm 30-foot aluminum CBRNE fireboats for Providence, East Providence and Cranston Fire Departments, with one more on the way for Warwick.

Fire Chief George Farrell, Fire Chief Joseph J. Klucznik, Fire Chief James Gumbley and their teams are excited about the new arrivals. Twin Cummins Merc. 4.2L diesel engines paired with Hamilton 241 jets power the 30-foot vessels which can reach speeds of 40 MPH.

The firefighting capabilities of the CBRNE boat include one roof mounted, remote master stream monitor with foam educting nozzle, a bow mounted remote master stream monitor, a 2�-inch discharges for hand lines, a rear mounted 2-1/2" manual monitor and one 5-inch storz discharge to supply land-based operations.

The Darley 1750 fire pumps are capable of flowing more than 2500 gallons per minute. These CBRNE vessels are equipped with Hazardous gas detection equipment, which can be linked from one boat to the others, and back to headquarters.

The boats can perform in shallow draft conditions and are able to maneuver in tight quarters. They are capable of operating in inclement conditions, including driving rain and dense fog.

Here are more photos of these three vessels.

Here's a photo of Guntersville Fire Rescue attacking a blaze from the shore.

This could have been devastating but because of their quick action, they managed to save most of the Marina and its boats.

MCM is hoping we have the opportunity to build them a FireBrand 28 in the near future. They definitely could have used it for this fire.

Two high-speed Kingston 36 high-speed patrol boats will be stationed in Pointe-A-Pierre, patrolling the Petrotrin Oil viaducts as well as Petrotrin oil platforms offshore in the Soldado Oil fields.

Selwyn Johnetty and his team are excited about the new arrivals.

Twin QSB 5.9L 425hp @ 3000 Cummins diesel engines paired with Hamilton 292 jets power the 36-foot vessel; the boat can reach speeds of 37 MPH.

The boat comes equipped with 1834C Furuno navigation equipment. Twin 16,000 BTU air-conditioners, to combat the intense heat, powered by an ONAN 6.5Kw marine generator.

The boat can perform in shallow draft conditions and is able to maneuver in tight harbors. It is capable of operating in inclement sea conditions, including driving rain and dense fog.

MetalCraft Marine has been designing and building high-speed aluminum Fire/Rescue, Patrol and Workboats since 1987.

We've just uploaded some recent photos of the FireStorm 69 fireboat that's currently under construction for the City of Tampa. You can view them on our Flickr pages.

Here's what the vessel will look like once it's completed.

MetalCraft Marine Inc of Kingston Ontario and Clayton New York just rolled out the latest version of their award winning Firestorm line of fireboats.

The new FireStorm 69 will be the fastest fireboat in the world.

It will be able to pump over 10,000 GPM class.

On their way to an emergency call the 100,000 lb hull will top out at 40 Miles per hour. Its super low draft (28") at speed with quad Hamilton jet drives will permit the Tampa Fire Rescue teams to cross shallow areas cutting off miles of travel.

Tampa's new vessel will be delivered by water from Kingston to Florida down the Eastern Seaboard June of 2009. The presence of the craft and its state of the art systems will make the port of Tampa one of the safest in the United States. All thanks to an UASI grant from DHS.

MetalCraft Marine has just been awarded a $5.8 Million contract for the Panama Canal Authority that is based on the same hull platform. There are several other Departments in line waiting to also own a FireStorm 69.

Pictured here is MetalCraft's very first boat (Hull#1) built in 1988 with Tampa Fire Rescue's Firestorm-69 (Hull #503).

Southern Marin County's MetalCraft Marine FireStorm 30, named Liberty, is shown in this photo essay assisting in an impressive fire on Angel Island, in San Francisco Bay.

Here's an interesting on-line article, with a 2:30 minute news video, about Miami-Dade firefighters battling a series of freighter fires over the past few months.

Miami-Dade County has two MetalCraft Marine vessels at its disposal for on-water interventions like this.

We've just posted some new photos of Bridgeport, CT's new and recently delivered FireBrand 28 fireboat.

We've just updated our online photo library with images of a newly built Kingfisher 29 Patrol Boat

This particular vessel was built in Clayton, NY, at MetalCraft Marine U.S. for the Jefferson County Sheriff.

The East Islip Volunteer Fire Department on Long Island recently used their MetalCraft Marine FireStorm 30 with Outboards to respond to a boat which hit the Robert Moses Causeway.

After a 30-minute search, the boat was located.

One person was killed and the other was taken aboard the vessel for treatment. The subject was then transferred to another vessel for transport to a local hospital.

More coverage here and here and Channel-12 News video here.

Here's a news story from the Providence Journal about three new FireStorm 30 fireboats in the region that MetalCraft Marine recently delivered. There's video as well.

Here is a related story from WPRI Channel 12 Eyewitness News

Here are stories and video from Local 10 News and NBC Channel 6 News in Miami about pesky freighter fires in the Miami River last weekend whose response was greatly assisted by MetalCraft Marine vessels.

TMJ Cannel-4 in Milwaukee reports: Two Rescued After Boat Catches Fire near the South Shore Yacht Club.

See also a whole bunch of photos of the fire on Flickr including this one of Milwaukee's MetalCraft Marine FireStorm 36 taking care of business and finally bringing the spectacle to an end.

Here's an article from November 2002, originally published in BOAT/US Magazine, titled Fireboats: few & far between which helps make the case for purchasing a fireboat amid the complicating factors and conflicting priorities all fire departments face.

Here's an interesting story, with a photograph and video, of Miami-Dade's Fireboat 1 assisting over 100 firefighters at Haulover Marina at the site of the old Salty's Restaurant.

Interesting coverage from A-Channel News in Victoria, BC, about the city's new MetalCraft Marine FireStorm 30 high-speed aluminum fireboat.

Related: More details in our item from April 23 2008.

Beautiful Victoria BC has a new addition to their life-saving team. A canary yellow FireStorm 30 stationed near the main Port. Chief Doug Angrove and his team are excited about the new arrival.

Twin Cummins QSB 5.9 L diesel engines paired with Hamilton 274 jets power the 30-foot vessel; the boat can reach speeds of 44 MPH.

The firefighting capabilities of the boat include

• one roof mounted, remote master stream monitor,
• two 2.5-inch discharges for hand lines, and
• one 5-inch storz discharge to supply land-based operations.
• The Darley 1750 fire pump is capable of flowing more than 2300 gallons per minute.

The boat can perform in shallow draft conditions and is able to maneuver in tight harbors. It is capable of operating in inclement conditions, including driving rain and dense fog.

We have lots of pictures of Victoria's new FireStorm 30 fire and rescue boat on Flickr.

Incidentally, the fine crew here at MetalCraft Marine is about to start building our 40th Fire/Rescue boat, Hull #503.

Here's a roundup of some blanket coverage of a recent Miami Beach marina fire that saw two teenagers trapped in a burning hull.

* 2 Trapped In Boat's Hull During Fire, Channel-10 News in Miami.

* Video from CBS News Channel-4.

* A text account from The Miami Herald.

* Observations from some neighbors with next-morning photos on a www.yachtforums.com

* View three separate short amateur videos that show the raging fire.

Check out this amazing photo of Miami-Dade's MetalCraft Marine FireStorm 50 planing and escorted by a friend.

Two 8-man rowing shells and a coach-boat on the Potomac River on March 1st.

In all 17 people were rescued from the water.

The vessel used here is a MetalCraft Marine FireStorm 30 powered with a Cummins diesel inboard engine and propelled by Hamilton Jets.

A new TV series on Global-TV titled The Guard features a 47-foot MetalCraft Marine search and rescue motor life boat (MLB).

Here's a link to Global-TV's web page about the vessel and here is more information about the 47 foot Aluminum Motor Life Boat Project including a short video of some vessel testing here in Kingston.

Also, don't miss our 47' Search and Rescue MLB photo set hosted on Flickr.com.

The Potomac River welcomes its 4th MetalCraft vessel; National Harbor will be home of the new FireStorm 36 for PG County.

The 36 footer is outfitted with powerful Cummins 490 HP Diesels which can get them anywhere at the high-speed of 43 MPH. Hamilton's 292 Jets make precise, controlled maneuvers such as crabbing the boat along side another vessel or a dock.

The bigger platform proves to be an asset when unloading passengers quickly from a distressed vessel.

With the Darley 1750 GPM pump, PG County pumps close to 2500 GPM. Which is imperative for putting out the most extreme fires on the water or along the shore. The boat also carries medical equipment critical for saving lives.

Major Eaby and his team are excited about the new arrival. From Annapolis to Portsmouth, VA the Chesapeake Bay has six other MetalCraft Marine vessels ready to assist their neighboring counties and the Nation's Capitol in emergency situations.

Six years ago MetalCraft produced the first FireStorm and has not looked back. Each boat is adapted to unique conditions required by our customers. We have been designing and building boats, both power and sail, since 1978 and stand behind our 10-year hull warrenty.

Last year a MetalCraft Marine CBRNE FireStorm Custom 50 was featured in an episode of Go Deep, an educational documentary about how the Seattle Fire Department procured two new fireboats for timely tactical response for the large industrial Port of Seattle, Lake Union, Lake Washington, Puget Sound, and beyond.

Here's a 13-minute segment taken from the 48-minute episode. It's all about what it takes to design, build, staff, and operate a distributed fire and disaster response capability over diverse populated and industrial areas.

If you are reading this in a news feed reader, click here to view the video.

Our 2008 Kingston Marina prices are now online. Slip fees are up slightly, now $44.00 per foot for the summer season.

All our other marina-related prices are unchanged from last year.

Jack Hochadel, Vice President of Willard Marine in Anaheim, California, just sent us these amazing photographs of a 47' motor life boat, made by Textron Marine & Land Systems, going through a large crashing wave in Morro Bay, California.

Click for larger sizes.

Quoting the photographer:

15-20 foot swells from a large storm reached Morro Bay California on December 4, 2007. A U.S. Coast Guard 47-foot Motor Life Boat was out for practice maneuvers in the large surf, which is not unusual.

However, a large wave hit that was probably more than they bargained for. At least it's the hardest I've ever seen them get hit.

The air was filled with mist, and they were quite distant, so at times were just a shadow in the mist. I've adjusted the photos for better visibility, however the quality of the photos is not the greatest due to the above conditions, and futile attempts to keep the lens dry.

This is the same boat model built by MetalCraft Marine for the Canadian Coast Guard, when we delivered seven of them in 2003. The boat is structurally designed to withstand Sea State 8 and is self-righting.

Here's a link to Textron's 47' MLB Data Sheet (PDF).

Here's a recent photo of two new fireboats soon to be delivered to the Dubai Fire Services in the United Arab Emirates.

On the left is a new FireStorm 48 and, on the right, a new FireStorm 34 fireboat.

The boats and Fire Rescue duties will be handled by the Dubai Civil Defence Force, which operates a marine unit currently. These will be the first purpose built fireboats in their fleet as well as the first jetboats.

The boats are fitted with Hamilton 364 and 241 waterjets and Cummins diesels.

The Dubai Civil Defence staff were here in Kingston at the end of November conducting sea trials. Unfortunately there was no snow for them at that time.

On page 1 of today's Miami-Herald: High-tech fireboats patrol S. Florida, an impressive story about Fireboat 1, a MetalCraft Marine FireStorm 50, with a mention of it's the new FireStorm 36 we just delivered.

On November 9th 2007, Part of an 89-car freight train carrying coal left the tracks on a bridge over the Anacostia River near RFK Stadium.

Shown here is the District of Columbia Fire Department's MetalCraft Marine FireStorm 30 responding to the scene. Full story here

Joining their first vessel (FireStorm 50) "FireBoat 1" from MetalCraft Marine, Miami-Dade County welcomed a second MetalCraft Marine vessel, a FireStorm 36. The bright green vessel matches its predecessor, and will be stationed near the main port in Miami.

The vessel can hit speeds of 39.4 knots with assistance from twin Cummins, 8.3 L 540 HP and 322 Hamilton jets.

With the Darley twin 1750s, Miami pumps to a total flow of 4871 GPM. A few features the new boat also has X500XP thermal camera, Fire Research Pump Boss pressure governor with 3 electric monitors and a 70 gallon foam tank.

Chief Lorenzo Herminio and his team are excited about the new arrival, which was delivered on November 1st from MCM Kingston, Ontario.

Five years ago, MetalCraft produced the first FireStorm and has not turned back. Each boat having a unique and personalized flavor chosen by our customers. MCM has been designing and building boats, both power and sail, since 1987 and stands behind their 10-year hull warranty.

We have no video photos yet, but here's an account:

2100 hrs on Friday 11/2/07 the ocean going tug Enterprise (179') towing a 400' fuel barge ran over its tow line fouling her starboard prop. This occurred 3 miles off of Key Biscayne. The tow line was pulling the tugs prop shaft out letting water into the engine room, if this wasn't bad enough the tug and barge where both dead in the water and drifting into shore (Key Biscayne).

The Capt of the tug had gathered his crew in the galley and they were minutes away from abandoning ship. Sea conditions were 7' to 8' with a northeast wind 25 to 30 knots.

Fireboat I arrived first on scene Coast guard arrived 20 minutes latter and stood by. The Tug was requesting a helo to hoist a crew member off of the Tug and onto the Barge to attempt to drop an anchor. Coast Guard was not in a position to do that.

Fireboat I positioned itself between the fuel barge and the Enterprise and powered into a bow in approach to the tug, timing the roll we were able to transfer a Tug crew member onboard Fireboat I and transfer him onto the Oil barge. The crew member was able to drop the barge's anchor and make it stick.

By the time it was over the barge was in 30' of water and less than a mile off of Cape Florida. Can you imagine a 400' oil barge hitting the reef off of Key Biscayne?

60 foot motor yacht sank at mouth of Miami River Saturday November 3rd.

Miami Dade County Fire/Rescue was out completing acceptance trials on their new Firestorm 36 when a Mayday came in.

They responded with Fire boat 1 and were first on the scene. Later followed by Towboat US and Seatow. Capt. Carlos Gimenez was at ease in charge of the rescue effort, and eventually it was called off as a losing battle. If they had been notified 5 minutes earlier, the vessel could have been saved. It remained on the bottom of the river for three days until salvage operations raised it.

WAVY-TV channel-10 in Portsmouth, VA has a nice news piece titled Newport News Fire Department inducts its newest member about the BMCM Carl Brashear, their new MetalCraft Marine FireStorm 30.

The fireboat is equipped with Hamilton jets, can travel 37 knots, has a 1,500 gallon-per-minute pump that can flow up to 2,400 gallons-per-minute. Water streams can be delivered from two aft mounted manual monitors and a roof mounted remote control monitor. The lower side decks also provide easy access to small fish boats in distress and make an excellent dive platform. It can travel in waters as shallow as one-and-a-half feet.

The vessel is also equipped with Side Scan Sonar which can draw a picture of what is on the river or ocean floor and transmit those pictures back to crew members onboard. It's also equipped with a thermal imaging system so that victims and boats can be located even in the craziest of weather conditions.

Update: Here's a very nice video describing the BMCM Carl Brashear and its capabilities, from Hampton Roads TV.

Update: Here are some photos from the dedication ceremony.

Update: A report from WVEC-TV of Newport News: Fire boat named after Hampton Roads hero

MetalCraft Marine and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue salute the outstanding service recently received from Pantropic Power, Inc. of Miami for Caterpillar engine work on Miami-Dade County's Firestorm 50 Aluminum Fireboat.

Thanks gentlemen!

We just received this report from Hampton, VA:

On Saturday Sept 29 a 48 foot ocean yacht ran full steam into a rock pile that was an old lighthouse.

Hampton Fire Marine 5 (MetalCraft hull 446) and Fire Marine 2 responded. It was around 9 p.m. when station 5 heard the mayday call while monitoring the VHF radio. Sea state was 3 to 4 foot with a sustained wind of 15 knots. Fire Marine 5 held on station and rescued 6 people and one K-9 using rescue lines techniques.

The recovery of the victims was done within 15 feet of the rock pile in the pounding surf. Each victim was rescued and pulled through the dive / personnel recovery door.

During the rescue Fire Marine 5 kept 6 or more inches of water on deck but never faltered in maneuverability or stability. The vessel again performed superbly and assisted in the rescue and saving of 6 souls and 1 pooch. In addition it provided a safe platform for the rescuers.

This is just another example of the professionalism of the Hampton Division of Fire and Rescue Marine Emergency Response Unit operating on a MetalCraft Marine vessel.

Stop by our Open House

Friday October 5 2007

from 1PM - 4PM

Take a tour of our latest and greatest projects.

See you there!!!!

"Atlantic VI" made a 1660-mile voyage (800 miles in open Ocean) from MetalCraft's shop in Kingston, Ontario to Wilmington, NC last month. The 6-1/2 day journey was the longest water delivery made by MCM. The boat is powered by twin CAT C-18's 885 HP @ 2200 RPM and 364 Hamilton jets, and is capable of speeds of up to 40 knots.

With the Hale twin 3000's, Wilmington pumps close to an impressive 7000 GPM. Atlantic VI has the latest technology in foam control and distribution with its 8-position/8-panel Foam System by FoamPro Accumax. It carries 500 gallons of foam aboard and has 16 dischargers with 4 x 5" landline connections.

Assistant Chief Ron Jordan and his team are very excited about the new arrival, which was commissioned July 23rd.

Five years ago, MetalCraft produced the first FireStorm boat and has not turned back. Each boat having a unique and personalized flavor chosen by our customers. We have been designing and building boats, both power and sail, since 1978 and stand behind our 10-year hull warranty.

For more information please contact Bob Clark or Emily Roantree at MetalCraft Marine Inc. 800.410.8464 or visit us at www.metalcraftmarine.com.

Chief Dave Layman and his team are excited for the return of their fireboat that was partially submerged at the dock back in April/07. The "BMCM Carl Brashear" is ready to go into service for the Newport News Fire Department in Virginia.

The vessel has been fully equipped with new engines, generator, pumping components and a couple of system upgrades, including a bilge alarm monitoring system. The 30 foot vessel is powered by twin Cummins QSB 5.9 L diesel engines paired with Hamilton 274 jets; the boat reaches speeds of 44 MPH.

The firefighting capabilities of the boat include one roof mounted master stream monitor, two 2-1/2-inch discharges for hand lines, and one 5-inch storz discharge to supply land-based operations. The Darley 1750 GPM fire pump is capable of flowing more than 2300 gallons per minute.

The boat can perform in shallow draft conditions and is able to maneuver in tight harbors. It is capable of operating in inclement conditions, including driving rain and dense fog.

MetalCraft Marine has been designing and building boats, both power and sail, since 1978 and stands behind their 10-year hull warrenty.

For more information please contact Bob Clark or Emily Roantree at MetalCraft Marine Inc. 800.410.8464 or visit us at www.metalcraftmarine.com.

Note its visibility, and its ability to quickly stop, turn on a dime, and crab sideways.

The Firestorm 30 Fire boat, "BMCM Carl Brashear", is ready to go into service for the Newport News Fire Department in Virginia. Here's our press release.

This is the boat that partially sank on March 21st 2007 with a flooded engine room.

The video was recorded by patrons at a beachfront bar named Zelda's on the Beach so beware that some of the comments and reactions in the audio track may not be work-safe.

It's always amazing to see how quickly vessels on fire can become fully involved.

This is the same incident we covered in this news item from last week.

"The big news is that the FLIR system was responsible for finding the victims," said Greenwood Fire Chief Randy Kladivo, who along with his sons Adam and T.J. responded to the call of a boat crash just outside of Everett Bay in the early morning hours last Sunday.

It was a dark and foggy night.

Here, from May 24th 2007, is more news about Greenwood's new fireboat.

Read the report from the Santa Cruz Sentinel.

On July 23rd, The Fire Department of Wilmington, NC dedicated its new MetalCraft Marine Firestorm 50 fireboat.

From the Clayton Fire Department :

LAKE ONTARIO, July 13 - Twenty-six cadets and six crew members from HMCS Ontario aboard the tall ship the Fair Jeanne were stranded at about 4:30 p.m. Friday just off Duck Island in Canadian waters of Lake Ontario after fire broke out in the an engine room, according to officials. The U.S. Coast Guard, the Canadian Coast Guard, the Clayton Fire Department, the Wellesley Island Fire Department and the U.S. Border Patrol responded to the scene.

EVENT DATE: 15 JUL 2007 1100 Local
Location: St Julian's Creek - Chesapeake

Mishap: Sail Boat & Overhead Power Line make contact. Sail Boat fully engulfed and Portsmouth Fire Marine 1 responded and took care of business in short order.

Here's a report (Powerpoint presentation).

Lots more photos here, with many thanks to Vice Captain Ricky Dunnington.

Chesapeake residents concerned about power lines on St. Julian's Creek from WAVY Channel 10 (with video).

MetalCraft Marine is featured in a front page news story today in the Kingston Whig Standard.

"The truth of the matter is there is no one doing it better right now than MetalCraft."

That's a quote from one of our customers.

Here are photos of the Fairfax VA Fire department's FireStorm 36 and yellow fireboats (FireStorm 36 and FireStorm 27) from the Occoquan Woodbridge Lorton Volunteer Fire Department, Lorton VA, responding to a boat fire.

See more photos of MetalCraft Marine fireboats in action.

FOX News 6 in Milwaukee reports on Sunday, June 24th that their new MetalCraft Marine FireStorm 36 made its first rescue on Lake Michigan while still on delivery to its new home in Milwaukee.

Lake Michigan and surrounding waterways has a new Bright Red FireStorm 36 stationed near its main port. The vessel can hit speeds of 39.4 knots with assistance from twin Cummins, 8.3 L 540 HP and 322 Hamilton jets.

With the Darley twin 1750s, Milwaukee pumps a total flow of 4871 GPM. A great feature the new boat has is the advanced Thermal Vision Side Scan Sonar Technology by Marine Sonic side scan and a Night Vision Technologies Infrared Camera. Which is very helpful when on a water-rescue with severe visibility and bridge security.

Chief Darrel Moore and his team are excited about the new arrival, which is being delivered by water this month.

Five years ago, MetalCraft produced the first FireStorm and has not turned back. Each boat has a unique and personalized flavor chosen by our customers. We have been designing and building boats, both power and sail, since 1978 and stand behind our 10-year hull warrenty.

For more information please contact Bob Clark or Emily Roantree at MetalCraft Marine Inc. 800.410.8464 or visit us at www.metalcraftmarine.com.

The Fire Department also has a web page with six pictures of their new fireboat.

We agree with the voice off-camera: it's a very pretty boat!

MetalCraft Marine Inc. has signed contracts for three more of its high speed fireboats, worth $1.8M USD. This comes on the heels of a record year for the company.

The City of Miami has followed the lead of its neighboring Miami-Dade County FD, who just received a Firestorm 50, and has ordered a Firestorm 48. Between the two boats they will have massive pumping capability should there be a shore side fire or one aboard ship as the Port of Miami is an extremely busy port. Miami is the largest passenger terminal for cruise liners in the US. Both boats are fully equipped with medical equipment and Emergency Medical Technicians to handle virtually any emergency. Department of Homeland Security funding contributed to the purchase by the City of Miami.

The County of Prince Georges MD a suburb of Washington DC has ordered a Firestorm 36. This boat will vastly expand the department's waterborne fleet. It has an extensive night vision system to support security efforts on the Woodrow Wilson Bridge which is a major link to DC traffic serving interstate 95 to Richmond. It is also capable of charging the bridge's 1.5 mile long firemain system in a matter of minutes from a pipe connection under the bridge. This boat brings the number of MetalCraft fireboats in the DC area to seven in total.

The Town of Newburgh MD has purchased a new model fireboat from MetalCraft, as MCM is now entering the small fire/rescue boat market. It is called the Fire/Rescue 29. This new trailerable design still offers pumping capability of up to 1500 GPM and many rescue features like twin dive/rescue doors. Powered with large outboards it can run up to 55 MPH. The Fire/Rescue 29 boat will get a lot of attention when she is delivered later this summer. Newburgh is located on the lower Potomac River by the Route 301 bridge.

After the boat was raised, I inspected the engine room and found no physical damage or hull openings that would cause the boat to sink. However, the engine room bilge pumps were off when the boat was raised. All suspect items such as exhaust hoses, hull penetrations, scuppers and check valves seemed to be in good condition and functioning properly. No leaks were detected.

I spent approximately 30 minutes on the boat after it was raised. There was no evidence of water intrusion during this period.

Read the whole thing.

See also:

• Metalcraft Firestorm 30 Fireboat floods and partially sinks at Newport News, VA
• Newport News' Firestorm 30 is back at MetalCraft Marine.

Also from CBS-4: MDFR Commissions New Fireboat :

The fireboat will serve over two million residents, 84 miles of oceanside coastline, 22 miles of beaches, 67 miles of inland waterways, and 5.5 miles of the Miami River commercial waterway.

They refer to it as their "Small Fireboat" but, of course, that's relative to their 108-foot "Large Fireboat". MetalCraft Marine makes a full line of fireboats from 27 to 50 feet.

The City of Seattle also has a page of photos of its progress through construction, taken beween January and June 2006. Check it out.

The Florida Times Union website has some great action photos of their new MetalCraft Marine fireboat, the Jake M Godbold. Click to go to their online photo album.

About this boat, Firehouse.com reports that the New Florida Fireboat Makes Splash

Jacksonville Fire Rescue's biggest, fastest and newest fireboat made a splash on the St. Johns River on Friday as it showed off what it can do.

The 1,700-horsepower, jet-propelled fireboat is named for Jacksonville's former mayor, Jake Godbold, who recently got a firsthand look at his namesake boat.

...

"Jake means a lot to the history of this fire department. He brought this fire department to one of the top fire departments in the nation, so the only reasonable thing to do was to honor him with his name on this boat," said Chief Larry Peterson.

The Godbold is 50 feet long, weighs more than 50,000 pounds, spouts out more than 6,500 gallons of water a minute and is equipped with a night vision camera. "You can literally pick up anything in the water. Not to mention the bridges and everything else, but you literally can pick up a body," Peterson said.

Newell Whitehead, Chief of Portsmouth Fire Rescue and Emergency Services, reports:

Last night our boat (FireStorm 47) was able to keep a 65 feet motor yacht from sinking by using the dewatering device that we had built into our boat. It works really well. They pumped out over 1500 gallons of water from that yacht.

Portsmouth, VA, is just across the river from Newport News, VA.

Here's a video of the Alton IL fire department responding to a runaway dock on the Mississippi river.

Click to play.

Newport News' FireStorm 30 Fireboat, the BMCM Carl M. Brashear, is back in our boatyard for inspection and repairs. This is the vessel that partially sank early in the morning on March 21st while docked at the Leeward Marina in Newport News VA.

Here's our Press Release about this.

See also coverage from various sources:

WVEC-TV, an ABC News affiliate in Norfolk, VA.

NN's new fireboat sinks at DailyPress.com

Fireboat being evaluated by N.N. fire department partially sinks at WAVY.com.

Fireboat Sinks Before Department Takes Ownership at NBC4.com.

More news to come as we await information about how this happened.

Here are photos of the MetalCraft Marine Firestorm 30 "John Foster" in action extinguishing a 30' catamaran hull charter boat "Chase 'N Tail" which exploded and caught fire at the Seward, Alaska fuel pier in August 2006. Thanks to Walter E. Corrigan, Jr., firefighter and chaplain of the Seward Fire Department, for forwarding these pictures to us.

The Portsmouth Fire Department demonstrates their new Fire Boat 1 in the Piscataqua River basin Wednesday. The high speed fireoat with high voume pumping and rescue capabilities was made possible through a Homeland Security Grant Program. Photo by Rich Beauchesne

Fast, furious fireboat

PORTSMOUTH -- The newest vehicle for the Fire Department is not a truck; it is a boat.

Fire Boat 1 is the Firestorm-30, an open-ocean and inshore high-speed fireboat with high-volume pumping and rescue capabilities. It is 33 feet, 5 inches in length and is powered by twin 380-horsepower Cummins diesel engines that drive two Hamilton water jets.

The firefighting capabilities of the boat include one master stream, two 2.5 inch discharges for hand lines, and one 5 inch discharge to supply land-based operations. The fire pump on the boat is capable of flowing more than 1,500 gallons per minute.

The boat can perform in shallow draft conditions and is able to maneuver in tight harbors. It is capable of operating in inclement conditions, including driving rain and dense fog.

"She can crawl sideways," said Deputy Chief Steve Achilles. "She can stop and turn on a dime. It can do collision avoidance maneuvers."

A demonstration of the boat proved the avoidance effective. It came to a dead stop and made quick, hard turns.

The $350,000 boat was fully funded by the fiscal year 2005 Homeland Security Grant Program with the support of Sens. Judd Gregg and John Sununu and Rep. Jeb Bradley, along with the Portsmouth Fire Department Fire Commission, the Portsmouth City Council and City Manager John Bohenko.

Read the whole story.

Related: See also the Portsmouth Fire Department's press release.

Henry Copestake, General Manager of MetalCraft Marine Inc, will be speaking at the Kingston Technology Council luncheon on Friday January 19, 2007 at the Harbour Restaurant at Portsmouth Olympic Harbour.

Doors open at 11:30 for registration and networking, buffet lunch at noon, and the presentation begins at 12:30.

Here's the abstract of Henry's presentation:

In 2005 the Kingston Technology Council awarded their Commercial Achievement Award to MetalCraft Marine Inc., for successfully bringing a new product to market over the prior two years. That product was MetalCraft's Firestorm line of fireboats, originally developed in 2002 in response to a need identified by the tragedy at the New York World Trade Centre in Sept 2001. MetalCraft has become a world's leading producer of high speed fireboats in the 28 ft to 50 ft range with over 30 vessels delivered or in production, for fire services from Dubai to Alaska. Henry Copestake, General Manger of MetalCraft Marine will provide an overview of the Firestorm products, the integration of technologies that are involved in high speed, jet propelled fireboats, and an overview of the Company's strategy to establish a solid foothold in their market niche.

Please pre-register by 5pm on Wednesday, January 17th. Email admin@kingstontechnology.net or call (613) 546-9387 to reserve your seat(s)

We've just added several testimonial letters to the website.

MetalCraft Marine
I N C O R P O R A T E D
347 Wellington Street Kingston, ON. K7K 6N7
www.metalcraftmarine.com
Phone - 613.542.1810
Fax - 613.542.6515

Press Release

For Immediate Release Contact: Bob Clark Office: 613.542.1810

Miami-Dade's New High-Speed 50 foot Aluminum Fire boat may be spotted on famous TV series CSI Miami!!!!!

Along the sunny coast and waterways of Miami-Dade County there will be a FireStorm 50 fireboat stationed near its main port. To date this is MetalCraft's fastest Fire/Rescue boat of its size. The vessel is no lightweight either, weighing in at 43,000 pounds and with assistance of the twin CAT C-18's with 873 HP @ 2200 RPM and 364 Hamilton jets it can hit a whopping speed of 40 knots.

With the Hale twin 3000's Miami pumps close to an impressive 7000 GPM. Which would be imperative for putting out the most extreme fires on the water or at bay. With a maneuverable workstation on board, it carries medical equipment critical for saving lives.

The FireStorm having many added features, one being its infrared system, has the unique capability of night vision, which would be key in locating a missing person in night waters.

Captain Carlos Gimenez and his team are excited about the new arrival. The bright green vessel with its large quantity of deck halogen lights can't be missed cruising Miami's shore. Day or night she could be spotted on TV's CSI Miami that is filmed in the same area. Thus being a famous boat for many reasons, but the #1 reason saving lives !!!!!!

Miami-Dade County Fire/Rescue has a saying "Always Ready, Proud to Serve" We at MetalCraft are proud to be able to achieve a small part in that. If the FS 50 saves one life it's worth every hour invested the past few months.

Four years ago, MetalCraft produced the first FireStorm boat and has not turned back. Each boat having a unique and personalized flavor chosen by our customers. We have been designing and building boats, both power and sail, since 1978 and stand behind our 10-year hull warrenty.

For more information please contact Bob Clark or Emily Roantree at MetalCraft Marine Inc. 800.410.8464 or visit us at www.metalcraftmarine.com.

A photo of the Monterey CA Fire Department's MetalCraft Marine Firestorm 30 fireboat:

Here's a good photo of Southern Marin County FD's MetalCraft Marine Firestorm 30 pumping under the Golden Gate Bridge.

Yesterday (January 9 2007) The Kingston Whig Standard, our local newspaper, published this brief story of MetalCraft's latest fireboat making a spectacle of itself in Kingston's Inner Harbour.

Ready For Action

The Whig-Standard Local News - Tuesday, January 09, 2007 Updated @ 11:25:57 PM

A 15-metre fire & rescue boat destined for the Miami-Dade Fire Department tests its pumping system on the Cataraqui River near Metalcraft Marine, where the boat was manufactured. The vessel will be shipped next week to Florida. They expect to ship two more fire boats in the near future.

Here is a description of an impressive Hatteras 52 yacht fire six miles off Hampton, Virginia in June 2006. MetalCraft Marine fireboats were involved in the response.