NEWPORT FIRE DEPARTMENT FIRE BOAT EVALUATION

The staff of the Newport Fire Department, industry representatives, commercial fishing vessel owners, major vessels of Newport, the US Coast Guard and the Newport Port Authority have identified the need for the addition of a fire boat to the apparatus inventory of Newport Fire Department. Fire suppression, rescue, homeland security issues, and environmental emergencies require a working platform on the water as the only means to mitigate several emergencies that could lead to disastrous incidents if unchecked. With over 1200 boats in the water year round, a mile of commercial waterfront infrastructure, two research fleets with ships in excess of 100 tons and a vibrant commercial fishing industry, Newport has a significant amount of floating or water-accessible property to protect. The Newport Port Facilities with an international terminal, commercial fishing fleet and marina with pleasure craft is known as a significant and unique port facility on the West coast of the United States. The fishing industry operations are recognized as the second largest on the West coast of the United States.

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

There are countless stories of large destructive fires known as conflagrations where the origins of the fire were either a pier fire, started on a wharf or ship board fire that spread to structures adjacent to vessels. One of the earliest disasters in the United States that was the result of a wharf or pier fire occurred in the 1700’s in Philadelphia where “hundreds of buildings were lost”, a fire that would give Benjamin Franklin the idea to establish fire companies and fire insurance underwriting. Philadelphia would not be spared a second time when fire once again devastated the city, once again the origin of the fire was the pier areas along the waterfront.

We do not need to look across the continent for these devastating losses, for in our own state the Pacific Seafood Company lost a major processing facility in June of 2013 in Warrenton, Oregon causing the need to relocate operations and the potential loss of the major employer in the region and a rebuilding cost of the dock and processing facility exceeding $25 million. This projected cost is only for infrastructure as the loss of jobs, income to the community and revenue to the town are impacted when these devastating events occur. In a wharf fire in Los Angeles a wind driven, under wharf fire burned for 16 hours and took the 5 fireboats of the City of Los Angeles to contain the fire to what is considered a successful fire suppression effort which will cost in excess of $100 million to rebuild. A marina fire in Santa Barbara consumed approximately 250 pleasure boats before being controlled with an estimated loss of $40 million.

Common to all the fires of significant magnitude has been the inability to access the seat of the fire, in all cases but the Los Angeles fire no fire departments had access to a fire boat to support their operations, this usually results in a total loss of the wharf and any facilities or structures placed on top of the pier system, or vessels next to the wharf, pier or dock. In looking at photos of the Pacific Seafood fire in Warrenton, members of the Fire Boat Working Group noticed the distinct similarities in construction between the Warrenton facility and the facilities in Newport. At this point it should be no surprise that if a similar event were to happen in Newport the resulting outcome would be the same or worse. The tragedy in Warrenton only affected one commercial canning facility. Whereas a fire in Newport would likely impact several companies operating on the Bayfront along with other commercial operations that are lined on the South side of the street, opposite the processing plants. Newport has the same vulnerability for a fire rapidly progressing in the creosote treated pilings and timbers under these buildings. Like Warrenton, the structural system below the street level in Newport has no sprinkler system that remains viable, there are no catwalks among the piers to afford a fire attack team a position to work, and there is no access from the street level directly to the pier system of vulnerable wood under the structures.

CURRENT SITUATION

In the past attempts to provide fire suppression capabilities with inadequate or inappropriate equipment have been met with limited success. Donated or altered equipment have not been up to the challenges of a complex firefighting effort. A reliance on the United States Coast Guard to provide a multitude of duties over the years has changed since 9/11. In the post 9/11 years the mission of the USCG has focused on life saving of mariners at sea and in the waterways of our nation, along with interdiction efforts to counter terrorism and environmental protection. The USCG can provide a very minimal firefighting capability to the Newport Firefighters (Coast Guard members will not fight fire as dictated by policy, they will provide a low pressure hose line to NFD members to fight fire aboard their vessel), one that is not sufficient to meet the needs of the Port of Newport.

In analyzing the fire suppression capabilities of the NFD in regards to the port facilities, commerce, fleet operations, marina operations and fish processing operations a significant deficit exists in the ability to deploy fire suppression lines in the waterfront structures along the high value industry/tourism district supported by the piers in the bay. The large frame structures located along the Bayfront pose a significant and complex issue in firefighting with access limited to street side operations. The pier structure that supports the many commercial and processing structures are of a creosote impregnated timber and piling construction, a style that lends itself to rapid fire progress that is difficult to extinguish when access is available. In the case of the Bayfront area, there is no access to the pier construction for firefighting efforts.

The attempts to fight fires on the docks in the marina and fishing fleet dock areas are hampered by narrow access paths. They hamper both the movement of hose lines as well as personnel and equipment, leaving little space for emergency evacuation of firefighting personnel or occupants of the many watercraft. This dock system provides for only one direction of firefighting. This could be greatly improved with multi direction fire suppression efforts, if a firefighting watercraft were available. If we were to apply the Community Threat Risk Analysis of the U.S. Fire Administration we would find that the ability to fight fire in the marinas, the dock system, and vessels in Yaquina Bay would calculate out to approximately 16% effective where a category of 75% to 85% is desirable, the addition of this pumping/working platform would significantly improve this position.

In addition to firefighting, there is a demonstrated need for alternate water supply capability, environmental response, vessel de-watering and mutual-aid response capabilities. A fire boat can become the community’s most productive water supply system for firefighting when land based infrastructure is compromised during a disaster or areas where fire hydrants are non-existent such as Yaquina Bay Road to Toledo.

In the fall of 2016 NFD Chief Murphy authorized Assistant Chief Harvey to begin the process of researching specifications and funding opportunities to obtain a fireboat. The initial steps involved creating a working group within the fire department. They were tasked to research fireboats and assess our capabilities and needs and to make contact with community groups, commercial partners and water-dependent government and public agencies, and to develop an understanding how communities like Newport have funded and utilized a fire boat apparatus.

In November of 2016 chief Murphy authorized a three-day trip for the working group to gather information. Three members of Newport Fire Department traveled to Washington State to survey several fireboats, observe operations and interact with operating staff. Open discussions with operational staff and administrators of the various fire boat operations were informative and educational. The primary objective of the site visits was to evaluate the performance of each vessel and to hear about challenges or difficulties encountered with each brand of vessel in service.

Six departments and fire boats were selected to visit based on apparatus size and pumping capacity, community hazards protected, and surveying as many different manufacturers as possible. Seattle, Tacoma, and Bellingham all have fireboats in excess of 50 feet that were deemed out of Newport’s desired range of vessel size.

Clark County Fire (WA), West Pierce Fire (WA), North Kitsap Fire (WA), East Jefferson Fire (WA), Vancouver Fire (WA) and Portland Fire (OR) were selected for site visits. These survey trips provided the opportunity to observe and in many cases operate the vessels that fell in the desired specification range. These boat brands observed were Munson Boats, North River Boats, Lee River Boats and Moose Boats. It should be noted that each department indicated that acquiring their particular fire boat was accomplished through the Port Homeland Security Grant process in a 25/75 cost sharing split with 25% community or agency input. Each department had been approved for the grant on the first attempt, with the exception of Vancouver (WA)Fire. Also, the interagency cooperative effort was the primary focus for the grant award. The working group is truly indebted to these departments for their willingness to share information, providing operational experience and allow individuals of NFD to operate their vessel!

SIGNIFICANT LESSONS LEARNED

Pumping Capacity: There was a great variation in pumping capacity, from 1350 gallons per minute (gpm) to a reported 3000 gpm. The significantly high capacities are achieved through direct water intake with no real lift of a static water source required. Ability to stay on Station: The ability to stay on station is the capability to hold position or be maneuvered with the flow of water on the monitors pushing against the desired direction in what is known as nozzle reaction. Only one vessel was able to deliver full pumping capacity and stay in place to deliver the master streams to the desired point (Moose Boats). It was noted that one department had policies in place that did not allow the use of large volume monitors mounted on the vessel and requires the use of fire hose hand lines only due to the inability to hold station or maneuver. This had caused an accident under operation due to nozzle reaction.

Training: There were vast differences in the training programs which showed in operations. The majority of operations had no formal training programs, but those who did have offered to share their programs. There is a clear and specific need to develop and use a training program for marine firefighting that will need to be developed. Most agencies develop their own boat operators course or use a Canadian Coast Guard Marine Firefighting course. There are also seminars available and contract consultants that teach marine firefighting and boat operations.

Master Stream Location: The configuration that places the large volume/high pressure monitor amidships on the cabin roof led to much better control of the vessel during operations with high flows. The Moose Boat performed exceptionally well with the top mount monitor while those with the monitor placed on the bow created uncontrollable maneuvering during pumping operations.

Maintenance Costs: The majority of the craft surveyed had been in service for approximately 3 years with average annual maintenance of approximately $1,000.00 for cleaning and paint.

Apparatus Insurance: After contacting the Newport City insurance carrier it is apparent that liability insurance is a blanket policy and does not cause an increase by adding a specific unit. The insurance for damages to the vessel itself are calculated to be very similar to the Ladder Truck’s cost of $6,000 annually.

Insurance Class Changes: All agencies visited described how the fire boat pumping platform being available along the shore line had improved the insurance rating for many homes along the waterfront and 1,000 feet inland which would represent a similarity to a portable fire hydrant system. There has been no determination if there would be a significant change to the industrial/commercial operations due to the addition of a firefighting vessel.

Vessel Control System: A new maneuvering system has been developed which incorporates a joystick style operation in place of a standard helm, this is a significantly high cost option and a high maintenance system that is not needed. The twin hull system gave the best performance and the twin hull, jet powered Moose Boat gave exceptional performance in intricate maneuvering endeavors.

Hull Design: The catamaran style hull provided a more stable working platform and a higher degree of stability in rough water. The twin hull design provided the ability to approach more shallow water, such as along the beaches of the Bay Road, over the deep V mono-hull design. The mono-hull design showed a high degree of side slippage and less response in an emergency stopping situation that might be seen in rescue operations. The twin hull design allowed the vessel to be walked in abeam to a dock or other vessel without making trajectory approaches to the target obstacle.

Foam Systems: Only one boat had an integrated foam system as would be seen on a fire engine, the crew of this vessel described maintenance issues and the lack of use in a system that carried enough foam (100 gal.) that it impacted boat performance. Most operators hold foam solution and gel agents at their onshore facility in a palletized configuration and load it on board when the situation dictates. Foam application is through hand held lines on board the vessel as monitor discharge rates are in excess of foam induction capabilities.

Electronics: All vessels appeared to be similarly equipped with radar and other GPS and sounding type equipment with a significant difference being the Portland and Vancouver vessels who’s staff suggested the use of night vision goggles (NVG) over an installed FLIR (Forward Looking Infrared) system. They stated accuracy was better, reaction to visual input was better, and lower temperature items in the water were visible as compared to the heat signature necessary for FLIR. It also had the adaptability to provide more eyes for search and rescue type operations. A demonstration in a dark engine room with NVG devices proved their point! The only communication system among crew members that did not receive complaints was the David Clark system. Two other major brands were said to be so problematic that future budgets would see a change in those systems.

Vessel Reviews West Pierce Fire & Rescue (Moose Boats)

The Endeavor demonstrating the centrally-located master stream. One vessel stood out above the others, combining superior handling characteristics while delivering twice the pumping capacity of all the other vessels.

The Endeavor is a Moose M-2 Boat built in Petaluma, California. This vessel is a catamaran style hull with two diesel engines. Each motor provides propulsion and fire pump capability with a 1000-gpm rated pump and a Hamilton jet drive system. The jet drives are located farther apart (more outboard) giving improved maneuvering ability over the twin outboard motors of other boats, even when delivering the maximum fire streams. The increased safety of diesel fuel and jet drives provides a large work platform on the stern (rear) of the vessel. This was also the only boat that has a full walk-around wheelhouse, meaning the entire length of the boat is accessible along both sides with walkways and safety rails. Personnel can safely lean over the edge and work with both hands. A capability that was not possible on the other vessels. The Moose boat was the only boat that could deliver the significant pumping capacity to take on a large commercial structure fire. Of particular note with this vessel is the fact that the jet drive and the fire pump on each motor is independent of the other propulsion system, creating a level of redundancy, should one pump and motor go off line the other is able to continue operations at nearly the full capacity of the other brands of boats surveyed.

Some other considerations are the longer service life of marine diesels, increased safety by removing gasoline from the boat, increased working deck space in all areas of the vessel, bathroom facilities for longer work periods, vastly improved maneuverability in tight quarters and the ability to operate in shallow waters near shore and river areas. The landing-craft style bow allows for safe entry/exit during beach landings and a much safer way to retrieve people or objects from the water. Clark County Fire (North River Boats)

Clark County’s Fire Boat 24, The Mary Firstenburg

Fire Boat 24 is a North River Sounder Class built in Roseburg, OR. The vessel is powered by two 300 HP Yamaha gasoline outboards and features a Hale 1500 GPM pump powered by a Kodiak 350 gasoline motor. This boat was carefully designed to meet the department’s needs for a shallow draft, fast combination rescue and fire boat. The boat is stationed at a boathouse on the Lake River in Ridgefield, WA, and is less than a mile from the Columbia River.

During pumping operations, it was more of a challenge to keep the boat on station. One limitation of the outboard engines is that they are closer to the centerline of the vessel and therefore have less control to overcome nozzle reaction from the mater streams. During testing there was relatively little wind which would have added to control difficulties. The crew was extremely knowledgeable. The two things they would have done differently were to add a davit and autopilot. North Kitsap Fire (North River Boats)

Fire Boat 81 flowing both master streams.

North Kitsap’s Fire Boat 81 is a North River Valor Class built in Roseburg, OR. The vessel was long with a relatively narrow beam. It was the only vessel to feature a bow thruster and would be difficult to maneuver if the bow thruster failed. The boat is 38 feet long and replaces a slower 27-foot vessel. The crew stated they do not use the master streams because the boat becomes uncontrollable. They instead run hand lines off the back deck. They have already broken a window out by losing control of the vessel during pumping operations and ramming into the anchor of another vessel during a fire.

The Infrared FLIR system was a big plus, as were dual electronics systems. The long hull and narrow beam made the vessel the least stable platform evaluated. All of the crew indicated they wished they had more time to train with the vessel. East Jefferson Fire (Lee Shore Boats)

The Guardian at rest in Port Townsend harbor

The Guardian is a 33’ Argus Class boat from Lee Shore Boats built in Port Angeles, WA. Like all the vessels evaluated, the Guardian is cross-staffed by a nearby engine crew. In addition, the Assistant Chief or other qualified individuals may respond off-duty to staff the vessel. The guardian is powered by twin gasoline outboard engines and pump 1350 GPM. This boat has been used for large boat fires, water rescues, and the many maritime events and festivals held each year in Port Townsend.

The guardian had the most effective heating system which doubled as a way to keep the windows clear from fogging. The department added a stern-based anchoring system to counter the difficulty of keeping the boat on station during pumping operations. The Working Group discovered with this agency that use of firehose flotation collars on ship-to-shore supply lines are not used, rather the weight of the charged hose lines sinks to the bottom of the lake or river and acts as an additional anchor or mooring line. Portland Fire Boat 21 (Munson Boats)

The visit to the City of Portland, Fie Boat 21 facility provided the opportunity to see a Munson brand rescue boat. While this boat is not outfitted for firefighting it is used for rescue and service tender operations to support the much larger vessel at Station 21 which is a 56 foot vessel that can pump in excess of 10,000 gpm. The Munson Boat product showed quality craftsmanship and attention to detail but was hard to determine the configuration as a firefighting vessel. The staff was extremely helpful in offering assistance in training and advice in areas of equipping the boat operations.

Vancouver (Munson Boats)

The boat at the Vancouver facility is another Munson Boats product staffed by an engine company from nearby Station 1. This vessel is a larger boat than would be needed at Newport but afforded the opportunity to survey a Munson fire boat product instead of a more general work boat. The boat was 47 feet long and a beam of 16 feet, a mono-hull design with twin diesel powered jet drives. The single hull design provided for less stability than the twin hull catamaran design of the Moose Boats product. This crew like their neighbors in Portland are in favor of investment in night vision goggles in place of a FLIR device on the vessel.

Conclusions

The chance to operate and pump these vessels was a tremendous benefit to our department. All of the crews were generous with their time, knowledge, and frank about what worked for them and what they would change. During the site visits and reviewing often disastrous incidents the working group came to a unified belief that the addition of fire boat to Newport for marine operations is as critical a need as a ladder truck and engine would be to land based operations. At this point we have identified the key features to meet the needs for a fire boat apparatus for Newport. Increased pumping capacity, stable working platform, working space, maneuverability, multi mission adaptability and a product that will be in service for a long period of time will dictate our specifications

After surveying the differences in boats and being aboard during operations it became very clear that the twin hull design provided the optimal level of stability and a remarkable maneuvering capability, literally walking the boat sideways (abeam) against another boat or dock with very minor helm and throttle inputs. The jet drive system provided greater on station stability and the ability to maneuver in water as shallow as 3’ in depth. The center mounted monitor on the wheelhouse provided for better boat stability during pumping operations which reduces operator stress.

The members of the Fire Boat Working Group agree that the best product to meet the needs of Newport Fire, the Port of Newport, supporting agencies and agencies for NFD to support would be the Moose M2 Boat in the 37’ size with the twin diesel drive system. The Moose M2 provided superior performance in all areas when evaluating capabilities observed with trained operators and provides the capabilities needed and has the ergonomic design essentials necessary for operations that may span many hours or days. In applying for a grant through Port Homeland Security it is necessary to select a product and establish a price point to allocate portions for the 25/75 grant sharing requirement. This is somewhat different than the standard government purchase or bid methodology where specifications are designed then manufacturers are allowed to bid. In applying the GSA Standard 84 purchasing, Newport FD can be very specific in the indication that the Moose Product is the boat specifically needed for the mission and since this is a PHS Grant process, the GSA purchase methodology and pricing can be utilized. The GSA direct purchase program is more in line with off the shelf purchasing as in a retail store but at government contracted pricing. It is as if the government has their own COSTCO store.

Proposed Timeline

December 2016 - On-site performance evaluations.

January 2017 - Recommendation to Fire Chief on performance specifications for a fire boat and additional costs to include: Training, berthing, and maintenance by mid-month. Meet with local agencies / groups to develop community support.

February 2017- Discuss fire boat concept with City Council

February 2017 - Identify funding mechanisms. Review the FEMA FY2017 PSG Grant Notice. Acquire letters of support from local groups and government representatives.

March 2017 - Write the grant application.

March 2017- Review financial cost for owning, operating, staffing and maintaining fire boat with City Manager and Finance Director

March 2017- Seek City Council authorization to apply for PHS grant

April 2017 - Submit the grant application.

June 2017 - Receive grant confirmation (approximate time for award)

Respectfully Submitted,

Assistant Chief Bob Harvey

Captain Tracy Cole

Engineer Chris Rampley