The Fort Walton Beach Fire Department in the Florida Panhandle has taken delivery of a new fireboat built by Silver Ships of Theodore, Alabama.
The welded aluminium vessel is equipped to handle a broad range fire protection and medical support needs on the water. It is outfitted with twin Suzuki 300hp (200kW) outboard engines and equipped with an engine protection and crash guard.
The vessel also includes a bow door with a dive platform for search and rescue operations, a fire monitor with an LDH discharge to fight fires from the vessel, and an enclosed cabin equipped with a patient treatment area. The forward deck can accommodate various payloads and even a quadbike or any other small vehicle.
The new fireboat has a length of 32 feet (9.8 metres), a beam of 10 feet (three metres), and a draught of only 18 inches (0.45 metre). As with all Silver Ships vessels, it's hull is designed for strength and durability, and for complying with American Bureau of Shipping rules for high-speed craft.
The wheelhouse electronics include a Raymarine radar.