Harry Newell (fireboat)

History
NameHarry Newell
NamesakeHarry Newell
CommissionedAugust 1986
Home portKetchikan, Alaska
General characteristics
TypeFireboat
Length45 feet (14 m)
Installed power410 HP (310 kW)
Propulsiondiesel engines
Speed30 knots (56 km/h)

Harry Newell is a highspeed fireboat operated out of Ketchikan, Alaska, since August 1986.[1] She is built of aluminum, is 45 feet (14 m) long, is propelled by a pair of 410 brake horsepower (310 kW) diesel engines, at up to 30 knots (56 km/h).[2] Her pumps can throw 5,000 US gallons (19,000 L; 4,200 imp gal) per minute through four water cannons.

She replaced a wooden fireboat with a pumping capacity of 4,000 US gallons (15,000 L; 3,300 imp gal) per minute.[1] Ketchikan is built on a narrow strip of low-lying land that back on to mountains.[1] Locals say the city is "five miles long and two blocks wide," which means much of it is within range of a fireboat's pumps. The vessel is named after Harry Newell, a Ketchikan firefighter who died in the line of duty in 1955.[3] He was the first and only Ketchikan firefighter to die on duty.[2] Harry Newell was held in reserve when the fishing vessel Sable had a fire, at her moorings, on January 25, 2010.[4] Early on the morning of October 18, 2016, a fire was detected in a dwelling on Gravina Island.[5] The Harry Newell responded. Firefighters were unable to save the building, but prevented the fire spreading.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Workboats Northwest Yard Delivers High-Speed Fireboat To Ketchikan". Maritime Reporter. August 1986. Retrieved 2017-03-18. The all-aluminum Newell culminates a more than three-year effort by Ketchikan to replace a well-used, 65-foot wooden fireboat, which despite its 4,000-gpm pumping capacity, was deemed too slow to serve the city.
  2. 1 2 Murray Lundberg (2014). "Images of Ketchikan, Alaska". Explore North. Retrieved 2017-03-18. With an overall length of 45 feet and beam of 12 feet, the fireboat has a pumping capacity of more than 5,000 gpm through four fire monitors.
  3. ↑ Murray Lundberg. "2017 Alaska Small Ships". Alaska Cruise. Retrieved 2017-03-18. It was named after firefighter Harry V. Newell, who died in the line of duty on April 7, 1955, at the age of 56.
  4. ↑ "Boat Saved by Neighbors: Call reported smoke and flames seen on boat in harbor". Sit News. 2010-01-25. Retrieved 2017-03-18. Responding vehicles included Engine-2, Engine-1, Rescue-1, Fire/Boat Harry Newell (standby), FD1, and Medic-1.
  5. ↑ Mary Kaufman (2016-10-18). "No injuries in Rosa Reef area fire; Structure a total loss". Sit News. Retrieved 2017-03-18. The M/V Harry Newell responded early Sunday morning to a report of the structure fire in the Rosa Reef area on Gravina Island.