|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue received the first two of three 50-foot fireboats ordered that were partially funded by FEMA under a Port Security Grant to safeguard our ports and the South Florida waterways.
Both boats are made in the USA, are 50 feet long by 16.5 feet wide, and weigh in at just under 60,000 pounds. They are each equipped with state-of-the-art electronics, underwater sonar systems, Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) system, two 3,000 gallons per minute fire pumps, foam firefighting capabilities and can reach speeds of 46 knots (53 miles per hour).
These new fireboats will replace the older vessels that have been in service since 2005 protecting the waterways of South Florida and the Captain of the Port (COTP) jurisdictional boundaries for Sector Miami. They will be equipped with Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive (CBRNE) detection systems to prevent, detect and mitigate any kind of terrorist attack in Miami-Dade County. One will be placed into service at Fire Station 21 near the Haulover Inlet to the north and the other one will be placed into service at Fire Station 73 located in PortMiami.
“These fireboats are replacing vessels that were 15 years old. The two vessels are meant to protect and patrol our waterways and are equipped to respond to any incident like vessel accidents, fires, hazardous incidents, and medical emergencies within our jurisdiction,” stated Miami-Dade Commissioner Joe Martinez. “The two fireboats are staffed 24/7 and are ready to respond within seconds.”
