London Fire Brigade Adds Two New Fireboats
The London Fire Brigade has added a pair of new fireboats on the Thames as part of a £40 million investment made by City Hall to expand the Brigade’s fleet of equipment and vehicles.
The new 16.2-meter-long boats, Tanner and Errington, are named after Auxiliary Fireman Harry Errington and Auxiliary Firewoman Gillian Tanner, who in the Second World War were both awarded medals for bravery. The call signs for the boats are H23A and H23B, a reference to Adam Mere and Billy Faust, two London firefighters who died fighting a fire in 2004.
Built by Holyhead Marine, the new vessels replace the Brigade's existing fireboats Dart and Fire Flash, built in 1999 by Alnmaritec. The existing vessels will have their parts recycled so they can be repurposed and used on other marine boats for recreational use, a London Fire Brigade spokesperson told MarineLink.
Tanner was delivered in March, and Errington arrived around a month ago, the spokesperson said, adding that the fireboats are expected to enter service early next year once crew training is complete
The new boats bring a higher level of capability to the London Fire Brigade. They are twice as fast as the two previous vessels and can reach speeds of more than 40 knots. Each new boat has two 900-horsepower Scania engines paired with waterjet proportion systems that enable the boats to work and performs rescues in low level waters. The vessels, which have a 0.6-meter draft and 5.2-meter beam, have been built with a flat bottom and a reinforced keel, so the Brigade can ‘beach’ the boats on the riverbank and lower our front access ramp without harm.
In addition, the newbuilds have capacity to carry more life-saving equipment. Each is equipped with hoses that allow crews to fight fires from the river and two water monitors that can be operated remotely and pump 2,500 liters a minute, as well as hydraulic cranes for carrying out rescues from the water and high-definition thermal imaging cameras. The new boats can also be used for towing distressed vessels and rescuing people and animals from both water and the riverside.
London Fire Commissioner, Andy Roe, said, “The Brigade is transforming for London and our brand-new fireboats are the latest improvements to the new equipment we are rolling out. Our investment of around £40 million on our fleet over the last few years is part of our commitment to do all we can to meet the changing needs of our communities and keep Londoners safe long into the future; the fireboats will be a fantastic new addition to our fleet.”
On Thursday, the Mayor of London Sadiq Khanmet was shown some of the high-tech equipment on board. “I am delighted to see first-hand the new state-of-the-art fireboats, which are part of London Fire Brigade’s expanding fleet of specialist vehicles and high-tech equipment which will be used to help keep Londoners safe,” Khan said. “The demands on London Fire Brigade have never been higher due to the extreme temperatures and terrible flash floods we have seen as a result of climate change. That's why, as Mayor, I am committed to doing everything I can to ensure our frontline emergency services have the right resources, policies and equipment to serve all of London’s communities.”
