North River Boats, Roseburg Ore., has delivered two new fireboats this year and is working on another.
In January, North River delivered a new 28'x9'6" (34' length overall) Sounder vessel to the Poulsbo Fire Department in Poulsbo, Wash. The fireboat was based on the company’s popular Sounder model. With well over 1,000 of these boats in the marketplace, it is by far the most popular hull North River builds. The second fireboat delivered in 2018 was a 31'x9'6" (36' length overall) Sounder model for the Biloxi Fire Department in Biloxi, Miss. North River delivered the new boat in late March with reactivation and training in early April. In addition, North River is building a new boat for the Narragansett Fire Department in Narragansett, R.I. The 31'x10' (37' length overall) landing craft style vessel will be delivered in late August.
“We take care of our customers, period. We meet with each customer and listen carefully to understand the requirements,” Brent Hutchings, CEO and owner of North River Boats, said in a statement announcing the deliveries. “We then tailor the boat design so that it is perfected to their needs and optimized for their duties. We have repeat customers time and time again because of this simple philosophy,”
Poulsbo’s new boat is powered by twin Yamaha 250-hp 4.2L four stroke outboards. The boat has a Darley HE500 engine-mounted fire pump coupled to a KEM 2.4L 130-hp inboard engine. The fire system draws over 500 gpm at 100 psi. A Task Force Tips remote-controlled roof monitor, Task Force Tips valve under monitor (VUM) at the bow with 2.5" take-off, and an aft monitor with a manual monitor with foam capability have been installed. The fireboat meets CBRNE requirements and has a positive pressurized cabin via an American Safe Room ventilation system. Other equipment includes a Laurus Systems Mini-rad D, a RAE Systems Multi-RAE Lite, Flir gyro-stabilized thermal image camera, complete electronics suite by Garmin with dual displays, GPS, radar, side scan sonar, emergency lights and siren and more. The large cabin interior has a suspension seat, two casualty benches for patients on backboards and a storage cabinet/work station. Oxygen bottle storage is all included as the interior is basically a small EMT station.
The Biloxi fireboat contains an air conditioner because of the hot Mississippi temperatures. North River Boats photo
Biloxi’s new boat is powered with twin Yamaha 300-hp 4.2L four stroke outboards. The boat has a Darley 1,500-gpm engine mounted fire pump coupled to a KEM 6.0L 360-hp inboard engine. The fire system, which draws over 1,500 gpm at 150 psi., has dual Task Force Tips Typhoon bow and stern monitors, with valve under monitor mounting and 2.5" take-offs. The boat is also equipped with a Kohler 7.5-kW marine generator, Dometic air conditioner with heat strip, King Air electric interior heat, operator and navigator suspension seats, two casualty benches for patients on backboards and stokes/backboard storage. Oxygen bottle storage and SCBA mounts are all included making the interior of this boat a small EMT station, as well. A complete Garmin electronics suite including a 12" display, GPS, heading sensor, radar, Airmar through hull transducer, Standard Horizon VHF radio, Whelen emergency light and siren package and more.
The new fireboat for Narragansett will have a 36" wide folding bow door operated using electric linear actuators. It will feature a 10' walk around cabin with sliding side access door and an aft-hinged bulkhead door. There will be two Shoxs 6300 bolster-mounted shock mitigating seats installed for the operator and navigator plus a bench seat and workbench behind the main seats. The Rhode Island boat will be powered with twin Yamaha 250-hp 4.2L four stroke outboards and an Imtra electric bowthruster for improved docking and stationkeeping. The boat will have a Darley 500-gpm engine mounted fire pump coupled to a KEM 2.4L 130-hp inboard engine. The fire system, which draws over 500 gpm at 100 psi., will be fitted with a Task Force Tips Tornado bow monitor, Task Force Tips valve under monitor mounting system with a 250 gpm foam eductor.
A Wallace diesel fired heater and defrost system will provide cabin heat. A 30" wide side dive door will provide a secondary dive/rescue door. A Laurus Systems Mini-Rad V CBRN detection system, SCBA mounts, hose storage lockers, and an aft tow bitt will all be provided. Additionally, the new boat’s equipment package will include a complete Raymarine Axiom electronics suite including dual 12" display, GPS, heading sensor, radar, transducer, VHF radio, Whelen emergency light and siren package, FLIR/Raymarine M232 thermal imaging camera system, AIS, Whelen scene lights, remote spot lights and more.
