Leschi (fireboat)
 Leschi
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | Leschi |
| Namesake | Chief Leschi |
| Owner | City of Seattle |
| Operator | Seattle Fire Department |
| Port of registry | Seattle[1] |
| Ordered | 2004 |
| Builder | Dakota Creek Industries[1] |
| In service | 2007 |
| Identification | MMSI number: 367149030 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Fireboat |
| Displacement | 303 t (298 long tons; 334 short tons) [2] |
| Length | 108 ft (33 m)[3] |
| Beam | 26.4 ft (8.0 m)[3] |
| Draft | 10 ft (3.0 m)[3] |
| Speed | 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)[3] |
| Boats & landing craft carried | 1 |
| Crew | 4 |
Leschi, named for the native American leader
The 108-foot (33 m) Leschi has been described as the "dreadnought of Seattle's fireboat fleet". Carrying a normal complement of four, its mission includes firefighting, search and rescue, and response to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) emergencies. It can also be used as a mobile pump and fuel station and as emergency medical treatment and command center.
History
Background
Seattle is one of the largest ports on the United States west coast and waterfront fires have been a continual concern for the city. Since 1891 the Seattle Fire Department has regularly operated at least two fireboats, which can be augmented by ships and small craft with fire suppression capabilities from the
In the 1970s the
Procurement
Prior to Leschi's construction, Seattle's flagship firefighting vessel was the aging Alki, which was built in 1927 and operated alongside a newer vessel, Chief Seattle.[8] Once known as the world's third "most powerful fireboat," by the early 2000s the antique Alki had become increasingly difficult to operate.[4][9][10] On one occasion, in 2003, an engine problem left the vessel dead in the water and the ship was only able to move by firing its legendarily powerful water cannons.[4][10]
Procurement of a modern fireboat to replace Alki was part of a successful public safety levy enacted by Seattle voters in 2003 approving its construction.[10][11] Leschi was built at a cost of $12 million by Dakota Creek Industries of Anacortes, Washington, from a design by Jensen Marine Consultants.[11] The Seattle Fire Department took delivery of the vessel in 2007 during a commissioning ceremony attended by mayor
Design and specifications
Described as the "
Mission and capabilities
According to Professional Mariner, Leschi's mission is "firefighting, mobile platform for emergency medical treatment and command center, mobile pump and fuel station, and response to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNE) emergencies."[2]
The ship's principal fire suppression equipment comes in the form of four 5,000-US-gallon (19,000 L; 4,200 imp gal) per-minute water pumps. In addition to pumping water, the ship's firefighting apparatus can tap an integrated 6,000-US-gallon (23,000 L; 5,000 imp gal) foam tank for use against chemical-fueled fires.[2] Leschi also has a 55-foot (17 m) telescoping crane with ladder and fire line for use against container ship fires and the ship is able to douse itself with a cooling fog to allow for operation directly adjacent to a major fire.[2][11]
In addition to marine firefighting, Leschi can support land-based firefighters in the event of a disaster that destroys Seattle's water mains. Manifolds on Leschi's deck provide ports through which hose lines can be run to provide fire engines with direct access to seawater.[2]
Leschi is designed to operate with a complement of four personnel, but has a command and communications room for use by senior SFD officers in the event of a catastrophe that renders land facilities unusable. The ship is outfitted with a CBRN defense system for crew protection in the event of a nuclear or chemical weapons attack against Seattle, or similar disaster. When activated, the system automatically seals pressurized hatches to the bridge and command center; uncontaminated air is provided by a fan and filter system.[2]
The ship is regularly equipped with a
References
- ^ NOAA. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Warren, Brad (9 January 2008). "Leschi: Pumped Up and Ready for Anything: The Dreadnought of Seattle's Fireboat Fleet". Professional Mariner. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
- ^ a b c d "M/V LESCHI". dakotacreek.com. Dakota Creek Industries. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
- ^ a b c d "Police, fire department at loggerheads over marine safety". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. 29 August 2003. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
- ^ McClary, Daryl. "Fire breaks out at Todd Pacific Shipyards (Harbor Island, Seattle) on November 28, 1968". historylink.org. History Ink. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
- ^ U.S. Government Printing Office. 1991. p. 4.
- ^ ISBN 978-1439634332.
- ^ Broom, Jack (23 August 2014). "Want a fireboat?". Seattle Times. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
- ^ "SFD History". lastresortfd.org. Last Resort Fire Department Museum. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
- ^ Seattle Times. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
- ^ a b c d e "About the Fireboat". seattle.gov. City of Seattle. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
- ^ "Seattle christens new fireboat". KOMO-TV. No. 17 April 2007. Archived from the original on 6 October 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
- ^ "Fireboat Business Heats Up in the Northwest". Pacific Maritime Magazine. 1 September 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
- ^ Sector Puget Sound Marine Firefighting Plan. U.S. Coast Guard. 2014.
- ^ "108' x 27' Fireboat" (PDF). jensenmaritime.com. Jensen Maritime. Retrieved 6 August 2015.