HUDSON COUNTY — On Monday, July 2, North Hudson Regional Fire & Rescue (NHRFR) planned to launch their new 27-foot ‘Marine 2’ Fire Boat at Lincoln Harbor Marina, 1500 Harbor Blvd. in Weehawken.
A quick response, all-weather vessel with a top speed of over 50 mph, the new fire boat will be put into operational service in time for the 36th Annual Macy’s Fireworks display on the Hudson River, when river traffic is historically heavy.
‘Marine 2’ has a 3 liter, 130 horsepower, Mercury inboard engine, coupled with a Darley Fire Pump that can put out 1,150 gallons of water per minute – in addition to the latest navigational equipment and a range of 250 nautical miles.
The purchase of the vessel, funded by grant money, will further enhance NHRFR’s rescue capabilities along the Hudson County Waterfront and expand its mission as a Homeland Security first responder. The Regional’s water rescue response was famously called into action in 2009, when NHRFR firefighters captained the first rescue vessel to respond to the US Airways Flight 1549 water landing by Captain “Sully” Sullenberger (photo available).
In 1999, North Bergen, Union City, West New York, Weehawken and Guttenberg combined their fire departments into the NHRFR.