Replacing aging fireboat top priority in Portland

PORTLAND – Homeland security concerns are giving an extra push to the Portland Fire Department’s efforts to replace its aging fireboat.

The 43-year-old City of Portland has leaky valves, an electrical system that shorts out, and a fuel system that would leak if it weren’t plugged with epoxy glue, firefighters say.

“It’s been a great boat. But it was built for a life span of 20 years. It’s outdated. It’s slow. It’s time we had a new boat,” said Lt. George Montanese, one of the vessel’s captains.

Replacing the fireboat is considered a top priority because of efforts to increase homeland security since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. A new fireboat is expected to cost $4 million to $5 million.

Portland is one of the biggest ports on the East Coast, taking in the largest amount of trade goods in New England and the second-largest amount of oil on the East Coast.

Officials recognize that the demands placed on the old 65-foot boat have grown. In addition to oil tankers, container ships and fishing boats, Portland has seen an increase in cruise ships, pleasure boats, and commercial and residential development on the waterfront and the islands of Casco Bay.

“Development has far outpaced the fire-suppression and rescue ability of the current fireboat. We’re out of space and we’re out of date,” Fire Chief Fred Lamontagne said.

U.S. Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins worked to include a $1 million appropriation for a new fireboat in a $64.7 billion Senate transportation bill that will be considered in September.

“We’ll have to fight to protect the Senate’s funding level, but we think we’ll be able to do it,” Snowe spokesman Dave Lackey said. Additional federal funding would be sought next year.

With an initial $1 million, Lamontagne figures he would be able to start the design phase for a new fireboat. The city is planning to borrow money to pay its share and hopes the petroleum industry will make a contribution.

The new vessel would be about as large as the original and have a similar firefighting system. But the boat’s speed would increase from 13 to 20 mph, and the pumping capacity would increase from 7,000 to 10,000 gallons per minute.