Fireboat

A fireboat (LB ) is the general name for vessels that are equipped and staffed specifically for the purpose of fire brigade, civil defense or comparable institutions.

Equipment and use indications

In these ships and a fire-fighting equipment is common, mostly aimed at fighting a fire on the water side. To this end, among other powerful fire pumps and often Nozzles for Special Applications (fire monitors) are available. Because of the existing pumps fireboats are often exploited to create one from the public water supply network independent, powerful water supply for units in the country at land-based large-scale fires. In the immediate vicinity of water bodies, however, they are most often used for direct fire fighting. Fireboats can also find on the open sea use to ship firefighting. This deletion boats usually have much larger dimensions than extinguishing boats on inland waters to be in difficult weather conditions ( heavy seas, strong winds, etc. ) used.

Ships that carry fire-fighting operations shall have a high maneuverability. Some boats use erasure for one developed by Ernst Schneider technology, the Voith Schneider Propeller (VSP ). Operated at constant engine speed, it is possible to use the main engines, to drive the fire pump. To be able to apply the required high extinguishing capacity, fire pumps need about 60 - 70% of drive power. As recorded by the VSP drive power is limited, the Voith Water Tractor ( VWT) is fully maneuverable during fire fighting operations. The performance is quite enough to maneuver from the VWT to bring to position and hold it against external forces. A well-known example is the most powerful fireboat in the USA, the LA Fireboat 2 With ten fire equipped, it is able to in a minute 120 cubic meters of water mixed to promote with foam on fires. The two Voith Schneider propellers are each powered by a 1,800 hp diesel engine. Generators, which are also driven by the diesel engines provide enough power to operate four of the six pumps with flow rates 17 to 28 cubic meters per minute.

Operators and crews

Fireboats are held usually by fire departments in larger cities. Cities that have economically or otherwise safety-related port facilities within their catchment area, set fireboats to hedge the port areas. The high hazard potential, resulting from a large fire load and partly of large quantities of hazardous materials, make this necessary. Due to the low compared to about fire engines use numbers such fireboat units are not always firmly occupied.

As the occupying example, a skipper and a machinist can act. Thus, in the staffing of the extinguishing boat is guaranteed to have adequate knowledge of navigation and safety on the water. The minimum number of required crew members is determined by the Vessel Inspection Commission ( SUC) and is entered in the Community certificate. It is aimed, among other things on whether the fireboat is equipped with a one-man or two-man helm.

On the German coast in addition to the existing in major port cities erasure boats of local fire departments also carry out the enacting powerful fire-fighting equipment Lifeboat the GMRS from the tasks of fire fighting boats. In addition, in part, the harbor tugs are equipped with fire fighting equipment.

Gallery

Fireboat "Kiel" ( Germany ) before decommissioning

Fireboat on the Rhine in Basel ( Switzerland )

Fireboat " Rheinland- Pfalz I" in Koblenz ( Germany )

Use boat "Bremen 1" ( Germany )