The Oakland Fire Department christened its new 42' fireboat, Bay Wolf, Oct. 7, restoring dedicated marine firefighting capacity to the city’s waterfront after more than two decades without a fully operational specialized fireboat.
Built by Silver Ships, Thoedore, Ala., the vessel will support firefighting, search and rescue, and disaster response at the Port of Oakland and throughout the surrounding region.
The department received an $825,000 Federal Emergency Management Agency Port Security Grant in summer 2021 to support the vessel’s purchase.
Bay Wolf can pump 5,000 gpm, tripling the department’s previous marine firefighting capacity, according to the department. The boat provides coverage for the port, neighboring waterways and surrounding cities.
“The Bay Wolf was christened at a ceremony on Wednesday, but the vessel had already sprung into action last week to douse a large vacant warehouse fire near Brooklyn Basin,” the department said in a social media post.
The department said the vessel and its specially trained crew can respond to vessel fires, waterfront and pier structure fires, search-and-rescue incidents, and basic and advanced emergency medical calls. Additional capabilities include sinking prevention and support for diving and recovery operations.
The vessel can carry four crewmembers and 12 additional people. Four monitors mounted on the roof and bow can deliver water at a distance of 100'.
Two large-diameter discharges at the stern allow the boat to supply water to shoreside fire engines.
The boat carries 300 gals. of diesel, with search-and-rescue operations allowing longer deployments than firefighting operations requiring sustained pumping.
Oakland Fire Department Chaplain Father Jayson Landeza christened the vessel during a ceremony attended by city officials, firefighters and port representatives.
WorkBoat reached out to Silver Ships for further specs on the vessel.
