Houston Fireboats

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FIREBOATS
Photos by Britton W Crosby

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Original Feature Posted April 26, 2004 - Re-launched January 28, 2012
New Page Added August 10, 2015 Updated April 10, 2021

HOUSTON FIRE BOATS

Port of Houston Fireboats
The Port of Houston is considered the busiest in the USA and is one of the busiest
ports in the world. The Port of Houston is about 25 miles of the 52 mile long Houston Ship Channel.
Approximately 8,000 ships and some 200,000 barges use the port annually.
The highly industrial area supports several major container terminals, petroleum refineries,
chemical plants and various supporting facilities.

The Houston Port Authority provides fire protection with several land based fire and
haz mat apparatus and three identical fire boats.

ARTICLE
About Houston Fire Boats
MarineLink.Com

Port of Houston
"FIREBOAT 1"
2013 Metal Craft Firestorm 70
70' 10" LOA, 22' 10" beam, 34" draft
Approx 14,000 gpm
Capable of 45 knots
FB-1 was the second of the three identical boats to be delivered

Woodhouse Terminal
Station 1
With Fireboat 1

Houston, TX Fireboat 1
MetalCraft Marine Firestorm 70
shown prior to delivery in Kingston, Ontario 2013
14,000 gpm

Port of Houston
"FIREBOAT 2"
2013 Metal Craft Firestorm 70
70' 10" LOA, 22' 10" beam, 34" draft
Approx 14,000 gpm
Capable of 45 knots
FB-2 was the first of the three identical boats to be delivered

Port of Houston
"FIREBOAT 3"
2013 Metal Craft Firestorm 70
70' 10" LOA, 22' 10" beam, 34" draft
Approx 14,000 gpm
Capable of 45 knots
FB-3 was the last of the three identical boats to be delivered

Barbour Cut Terminal
Station 2
With Fireboat 2
Fireboat 3 also currently stationed here
Aug 2015

HISTORIC HOUSTON FIRE BOATS

Former Houston Fireboat Capt. Crotty.
Decommissioned and sold.

The Port of Houston Marine Fire Department operates three boats from four stations.
The J.S. Bracewell is a May 1983 68' LOA x 20' beam with (2) 2000 gpm pumps and top speed 20 knots.
The Bracewell covers the Houston ship channel from the turning basin to Magellen refinery.
The Capt. W.L. Farnsworth covers from the Magellen refinery to Exxon Baytown. It is 80' long
with a 22' beam commissioned in March 1974 as 130 tons. It has (2) 3000 gpm pumps.
The Howard Tellspen is a 1983 twin to the Bracewell and covers from the Exxon Baytown to Bayport.
The fourth station has an engine and utility truck for Haz Mat responses located at Bayport.
(photos and info from Mike Stallings)

Capt. W.L. Farnsworth battling a fire

Houston Capt. W.L. Farnsworth

Houston Fireboats Capt. W.L. Farnsworth and Howard Tellspen display colors

Houston Fireboat Capt. W.L. Farnsworth in the port after retirement August 2015

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