Marco Fire Department Christens New Fireboat

Marco Island, a very safe place, officially got even a little safer last week. 

In a ceremony dockside at the Esplanade, the Marco Island Fire Rescue Dept. (MIFD) christened their new fireboat, welcoming it into the department’s lineup of mostly land-based equipment. Chief Chris Byrne, in full dress uniform, presided over the occasion before an audience of about 50, heavy on city staffers and city councilors. After Pastor Scott Kerens of Marco Presbyterian Church gave the invocation, Byrne thanked the city council, both the current council, most of whom were on hand, and the former council, which greenlighted the project. 

As he spoke, crew members placed a wreath over the 1,500 gallons per minute pump, which is the main fire-fighting tool of the boat and poured a bottle of Champagne over the bow – the last time alcohol will be aboard, said Byrne, “unless one of the people we are rescuing” has it. 

“Basically, this is a floating fire truck,” said Byrne, and just as the mission of the MIFD has pivoted to many more rescue than fire calls, the 38-foot aluminum craft is equipped to handle medical emergencies as well as fight fires. It is like a fire truck even under the hood, or in this case in the engine room, where a pair of 450-hp Cummins Diesels, the same engine that powers the fire engines on shore, provide propulsion to the twin jet drives, as well as powering the water pumps. 

The boat is a Defiant 38 from Metal Shark Industries of Louisiana, although, said Byrne, LOA is 43 feet, with an 11-foot beam. The vessel is known both as Fireboat 50 and Jerry Adams II, after the same deceased firefighter honored every year with the department’s chili cookoff. Flat out, said crew members, top speed approaches 45 mph. 

Unlike the smaller fireboat it replaced, an open 34-ft. Metal Craft, the Defiant allows up to four patients to be treated in climate-controlled comfort, and all gear and medical supplies, as well as the crew, will also have air conditioning. Total cost was $1.14 million, said Byrne, “fully equipped with all the bells and whistles.” While it was just christened on February 25, the new boat has been in service since last fall. 

The MIFD’s nautical goes back to the 1990s, said Byrne, “when a citizen donated a 12-foot Zodiac” inflatable boat. “Four boats later, we have this state-of-the-art vessel.” It is important to the waterfront community that is Marco Island, he said – “we have limited Coast Guard coverage.” 

In addition to the Marco fireboat, the Greater Naples Fire Department has two fireboats, including one based at Isles of Capri. The City of Naples and North Naples departments have one each, and Byrne said all the departments work together for maximum efficiency and effectiveness. 

MIFD Capt. Dustin Beatty, along with Capt. Jeff Kutzke one of the two boat captains, took the lead in showing off the “bells and whistles,” the high-tech and safety-enhancing features. The Defiant has radar, a full range of video cameras with monitors at the helm station, night vision, GPS and side-scanning capability, and FLIR – forward-looking infrared, to help locate people floating in the water. 

With 36 accredited firefighters and rescue personnel, a total staff of 47, and an $8 million annual budget, MIFD operates three fire engines, one ladder truck, a brush truck, an all-terrain beach rescue vehicle, support vehicles, and two high-water rescue vehicles – plus now, a brand new Defiant 38 fireboat.