Seattle Fire Department News

A derelict tugboat began taking on water and sank Monday morning in Salmon Bay near Ballard in Seattle.The vessel, which had been abandoned for a number of years, was moored at a dock just east of the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks and tied off to two additional abandoned vessels at the time of the incident.The other vessels have been secured and do not present a hazard to maritime traffic, according to the U.S. Coast Guard, who responded to the incident alongside the Seattle Fire…

Harley Marine Services christened its newest tractor tug Earl W Redd, officially welcoming her to the fleet on Friday, February 10. Built at Diversified Marine of Portland, Ore., the Earl W Redd features twin Cat 3516 Tier 4 Final main engines that will each produce 2,675 horsepower at 1,600 rpm. Each of the engines is paired with a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) after treatment system that uses a urea-based solution to reduce NOx contained in diesel exhaust down to nitrogen and water vapor.

Coast Guard, Seattle Police Department, Seattle Fire Department, King County Sheriff’s Office and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife personnel rescued a woman after she sustained a leg injury after reportedly being struck by a boat propeller on Lake Washington, Sunday afternoon. Seattle Fire Department personnel aboard a Seattle Police Department boat safely transported the 19-year-old woman to waiting EMS who took her to Harborview Medical Center. "Due to the excellent working relationships the Coast Guard has with our partner agencies in the Seattle area, we executed the rescue using great teamwork and it was without hesitation," said Chief Petty Officer Jeff Wildes from Coast Guard Station Seattle.

U.S. The 24 people who violated the 500-yard safety zone established around the Shell Arctic drilling rig Polar Pioneer were detained by USCG and partner agency law enforcement personnel Monday morning. The individuals were transported to Coast Guard Base Seattle at Pier 36, issued notices of violation that include a $500 fine and released with their equipment. "The Coast Guard and our agency partners are committed to maintaining the integrity of navigable waterways and protecting the safety of the maritime public," said Capt.

A King County Sheriff's Helicopter performed a rescue demonstration using a new rescue platform before a group of attendees at this year's Maritime Security West Conference in Tacoma, Wash. on August 18, 2014. The Seattle Fire Department, with the support of King County Sheriff's Office and Tacoma Fire Dept., conducted an on-water rescue demonstration using the AirTEP (airborne tactical extrication platform) system from the King County Sheriff's Office rescue helicopter. Watch the video here. There are only six known agencies in the U.S. that own the AirTEP system, and the Seattle Fire Dept. is one of the few that has it in use for on-water rescue.

Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering company Guido Perla and Associates, Inc. (GPA) announced the completion on time and within budget of a major renovation of the fireboat Chief Seattle at Vigor Marine in Everett, Washington. Under the direction of the City of Seattle’s Department of Finance and Administrative Services (FAS), GPA’s team managed the project from initiation to delivery, working closely with FAS, Vigor Marine and the Seattle Fire Department. The 96 feet 6 inches Chief Seattle, built in 1984, replaces the Alki, built in 1927, as the city’s primary freshwater fireboat.

Fireboat to be Equipped with Six Fire Monitors and 26 Manifold Valves for High-Volume Water and/or Foam Firefighting. Jensen Maritime Consultants, Inc., a Crowley company, has been chosen to design a custom "super pumper" fireboat to enhance the City of San Francisco Fire Department's (SFFD) marine fire fighting and response capabilities on water. This high-volume water and foam pumping NFPA Type II fireboat will feature six fire monitors and 26 manifold valves, allowing for more than 16…

U.S Coast Guard and multiple Seattle-area rescue agencies responded to a water taxi allision in Seattle at Pier 50 on Sept. 26. The King County water taxi Rachel Marie allided with the pier at approximately 11:30 a.m. with 78 passengers and crew onboard. Two 41-ft utility boat crews from Coast Guard Station Seattle, along with the Seattle Fire Department and Seattle Police Harbor Patrol crews responded to the scene and are transporting the passengers and crew off the vessel. One person fell into the water and was immediately recovered.  The remaining 77 people were removed from the vessel.  Approximately five people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. The cause of the allision is unknown.  Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound is investigating the accident.

The Coast Guard, Washington Department of Ecology (ECY,) American President Line (APL) shipping company and the Seattle Fire Department along with assistance from U. S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are investigating a reported fire aboard a cargo vessel. The 873-ft. motor vessel APL Peru reported smoke and heated bulkheads in and around the ship's number five cargo hold Sunday, Oct. 5, while transiting from Hong Kong. The ship's internal firefighting system was able to significantly suppress the fire and the ship's crew has been constantly monitoring cargo hold temperatures. The cargo hold does not contain hazardous cargo and there are no reports of injuries or pollution. The ship is under its own power and is being brought to Seattle for further investigation and inspection.

In 2004, Jensen Maritime Consultants (JMC) partnered with the City of Seattle’s Fire Department to develop two vessels that will significantly upgrade the City’s marine fire fighting ability, as well as provide a mobile marine command vessel for operations in all manner of catastrophes, including bio-terrorist incidents. Seattle is a city that is almost surrounded by water – built between Elliot Bay, Lake Washington and Lake Union, it has innumerable rivers cutting through it, with more than 190 miles of navigable coastline. However, any vessels going from the salt water side of Puget Sound to the fresh water side of Lake Washington must travel through the Chittenden Locks.

The AP reported that a fire swept through an old wooden pier, damaging two National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) buildings and three of the agency's boats. The cause of the blaze wasn't immediately clear. The fire started at the NOAA pier on Lake Union, which is linked to Puget Sound by a ship canal, more than two hours after the end of a large Fourth of July fireworks show over the lake, Seattle Fire Department spokesperson said. A 224-ft. decommissioned research vessel and a former Navy ship that NOAA acquired last year with plans to retrofit it for oceanographic research were both damaged, along with a small aluminum boat, a NOAA spokesman said.

Six people are safe after battling an early morning fire today on a 56-ft. commercial fishing boat 1 mile west of Richmond Beach near Edmonds, Wash. The crew of the tugboat Samish reported to Coast Guard Sector Seattle that the fishing vessel Carol M was on fire and was in need of assistance. Coast Guard Station Seattle dispatched a 41-ft. utility boat and Air Station Port Angeles, Wash., launched an HH-65 Dolphin helicopter to assist. The Seattle Fire Department fireboat Chief Seattle and two Seattle Harbor Patrol units also responded to the fire. The crewmembers of the Carol M and the Tug Samish were able to fight the fire until the Chief Seattle arrived and contained the fire at about 11 a.m.

Representatives from both the Coast Guard's Marine Safety Office Puget Sound and the Seattle Fire Department responded to a early morning blaze involving three boats at a Lake Union marina. The Marine Safety Office is coordinating with pollution response contractors to contain fuel and oil spilled and is removing remaining fuel from the three damaged boats. The Coast Guard will begin its investigation into the cause of the fire once cleanup efforts are complete.