Protector (fireboat, British Columbia)

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Protector is a "Firestorm 30" fireboat in Victoria, British Columbia, purchased in 2007.[1][2][3]

Design and construction[edit]

The fireboat was built by Metalcraft Marine.[1][4] Her crew of three can operate all her firefighting equipment from within her sealed cabin. She is equipped with a single cot where an injured individual can receive emergency medical care.

Her water cannons can project 2300 gallons.[1][4] Twin diesels engines can propel her at 44 mph.

One of her two water cannon can be dismounted, which would be useful for fighting a fire, on land, if an earthquake, or terrorist attack, had knocked out the city's fire mains.[1][4]

Operational history[edit]

On July 29, 2013, the Protector's crew provided first aid to a woman and her rescuers, after passersby plucked her from Victoria's Gorge waterway.[5]

Protector was employed to fight a fire on a burning barge on June 23, 2017.[6][7] The barge was loaded with crushed cars being shipped to be recycling.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d "Fire Boat: The Victoria Fire Department is proud to be able to serve Victoria's citizens and visitors with its custom-built, multi-purpose, high speed fire boat, the Protector". Victoria Fire Department. Retrieved 2017-06-25.
  2. ^ "Victoria Fire Hall 2 – 650 Michigan St". BC Fire Trucks. Retrieved 2017-06-25.
  3. ^ "Victoria BC's New Fireboat". A-Channel via YouTube. 2008-05-16. Retrieved 2017-06-25.
  4. ^ a b c "Victoria Fire Department's new High-Speed 30 foot Aluminum Fireboat". Metalcraft Marine. 2008-04-28. Retrieved 2017-06-25.
  5. ^ Lindsay Kines (2013-07-29). "Unconscious woman rescued from Gorge Waterway remains in critical condition". Victoria Times Colonist. Retrieved 2017-06-25. Victoria firefighters used their fire boat and a high-angle ladder truck to pour water onto the barge.
  6. ^ Bill Cleverley (2017-06-24). "Victoria Fire Department won't investigate cause of Friday's barge fire". Victoria Times Colonist. Retrieved 2017-06-25. Victoria firefighters used their fire boat and a high-angle ladder truck to pour water onto the barge.
  7. ^ "Car barge catches fire in Victoria's Gorge Waterway: Flames visible as smoke pours out of barge filled with crushed cars". CBC News. 2017-06-23. Retrieved 2017-06-25. Kirby said fire crews, including a fire boat, responded quickly and managed to knock down the flames.