A new generation of fireboat hit the water this June. The NFPA Class 'C' 37-knot speedster exhibited speed, maneuverability and control. She had high pumping capacity and the ability to recover more injured survivors at one time than boats twice her size. This original design by MetalCraft Marine's Tom Wroe, had its concept drawing sketched on a napkin late at night after a long business dinner, where members of the Occoquan, Lorton, Woodbridge Volunteer Fire Department (OWLFD) added valuable operational input to the designer's pen. The procurement committee of OWLFD had spent two years educating themselves about what was available in the marketplace, including hull designs, propulsion alternatives, pumping systems and known sea rescue techniques.
