RAnger 2650 Class fireboat from Robert Allan Ltd. for City of Baltimore

September 6, 2007

In July, 2007, the new RAnger 2650 Class fireboat, John R. Frazier, was delivered to the City of Baltimore Fire Department by the builder, Hike Metal Products of Wheatley, Ontario. The vessel was designed by Robert Allan Ltd. of Vancouver, BC, who worked with Hike to win this internationally bid design and build contract. Evan Gatehouse, P. Eng. was the Design Project Manager for Robert Allan Ltd.

The new fast response fireboat is designed to specifically address the fire fighting and rescue needs of the local port area. Consequently the fireboat has both water depth and air-draft constraints.

The new fireboat has the following particulars:

The tank capacities are as follows:

The fireboat was designed for a response speed of 16 knots. On trials, the vessels achieved a full load speed of 17 knots.

The installed propulsion power is 2 x 1,650 BHP (2 x 1230 kW) from two CAT 3512B main engines. Propellers are fixed-pitch, driven through a pair of ZF model 4650 reverse-reduction gears with a 3.04:1 reduction ratio.

Interior noise was well controlled, with maximum levels of 72 dBA recorded in pilothouse and crew quarters at full power.

The Fire-fighting equipment for the RAnger 2650 Class comprises the following:

• Fire pumps
  • 2 x 3,500 GPM (795 m³/hr), each driven by an independent CAT C-18 diesel engine
• Fire monitors:
  • 1 x 5,000 gpm (1,135 m³/hr) – remote controlled
  • 1 x 2,500 gpm (568 m³/hr) – remote controlled
  • 2 x 2,500 gpm (2 x 568 m³/hr) – manual controls

The RAnger 2650 Class fireboat, illustrated in the attached General Arrangement drawing and photographs, has the following configuration:

• Bridge Deck
  • Wheelhouse forward: arranged with maximum, all-round visibility, including both an Engineer’s control station and a Navigator’s chart table aft of the main steering and control console
• Main Deck
  • Command Centre: a communications centre/meeting room for coordinating on-scene activities with land based resources, and housing the fire crews turnout gear
  • fire-fighting equipment room: outfitted to store hoses, fittings, rescue equipment, etc., and serving double-duty as a medical treatment room
  • Decontamination Shower
  • large water level rescue platform for casualty recovery
  • rescue boat arranged for rapid deployment
  • multiple hydrant outlets for water supply to shore systems
  • machinery access/removal flush hatches
• Below Deck
  • crew accommodation, outfitted to house four crew in the event of extended operations
  • crew lavatory facilities
  • a spacious engine room with full walking height access to all machinery
  • the steering gear flat, in which the cylindrical polyethylene foam tanks are also located

The John R. Frazier successfully completed its trials in Lake Erie in June 2007, after which it was transported via the Erie Canal system into the east coast waters of the US.

For more information on this new vessel, or on other RAnger Series emergency response vessels, please contact us.