Governor Alfred E. Smith (fireboat)

Governor Alfred E. Smith was a fireboat first operated by the Fire Department of New York in 1961.^[1] She was the last of four sister ships.^[2] In 1970 the Department planned to retire her, but, instead, she was placed in reserve. She was finally retired on October 21, 2016.^[3] Governor Alfred E Smith was built by John H. Mathis & Company at Camden, New Jersey, yard number 216 in August 1961.^[4]

Operational career

The Governor Alfred E. Smith was launched on May 26, 1961 at Manthis Shipyard, in Camden New Jersey, at a cost of $907,077.

In 1967 the crew of Governor Alfred E. Smith distinguished themselves when two tankers collided.^[1] 33 men died when Alva Cape and Texaco Massachusetts collided. Four more men died, two days later, when salvage workers tried to make the wrecks safe, by emptying their tanks, and Alva Cape exploded. Governor Alfred E. Smith's captain was blown overboard. They were credited with saving 70 lives.^[5]

According to Mayor John Lindsay "The fireboat literally sailed into the hold of one of the ships, where a lava-like flow of naphtha was pouring out, and smothered it with foam."^[5]

Floating restaurant

In 2016 she was sold to developers, who plan to turn her into a floating restaurant known as "Marine Company 7", in Brooklyn. ^[6]^[7]

References

[1]
"Fireboat Alfred E. Smith, Victim of Progress, to Be Retired". The New York Times. 1970-08-07. p. 60. Archived from the original on 2020-02-09. Retrieved 2020-02-08. Built in 1961 by the John H. Mathis Company's ship yard in Camden, N. J., the fireboat was the last of four identical boats built for New York City. It cost $907,077. It has a speed of 11.3 knots and displaces 290 tons.
[2]
""Al Smith" joins New York fireboat fleet". Fire Engineering. Archived from the original on 2020-02-09. Retrieved 2020-02-08. The "Governor Alfred E. Smith," latest acquisition of the Marine Division, FDNY, was placed in service on October 5. Built at a cost of some $907,000 in Camden, N. J., by Mathis Shipbuilding Co., it is nearly identical to the Fireboats Wagner, Wilkes and Archer. Constructed with a welded steel hull, it displaces 292 tons, measures 105 feet, 6 inches over-all length, has a beam of 25 feet, 6 inches and a draft of 9 feet. Two Enterprise 500-hp diesel engines coupled to twin Wegner controllablepitch propellers, give it a rated speed of 13 mph. Two pumping engines, also 500-hp Enterprise, drive two Worthington pumps rated at a total capacity of 8,000 gpm. Safety features include Decca radar and Raytheon Fathometer installations. A special feature of the new fireboat is the inclusion of an auxiliary fire-rescue craft on…
[3]
@FDNY (2016-10-21). "#FDNY fireboat Fire Fighter II escorts fireboat Governor Alfred E Smith, which retires today from #FDNYfleet" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
[4]
"John H. Mathis & Company". shipbuildinghistory.com. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
[5]
David J. Krajicek (2017-12-03). "33 die as gasoline, flammable petroleum tankers collide in 1966 New York Harbor disaster: 33 die as gasoline, flammable petroleum tankers collide in 1966 New York Harbor disaster". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on 2018-09-28. Retrieved 2020-02-08. The fireboat Alfred E. Smith, captained by Lt. Robert Summer[v]bell, conducted a heart-stopping maneuver, rushing up to the Alva to contain its leak. As Mayor John Lindsay described it, 'The fireboat literally sailed into the hold of one of the ships, where a lava-like flow of naphtha was pouring out, and smothered it with foam.'
[6]
Cat DiStasio (2016-10-20). "This former FDNY fireboat is set to be NYC's next floating restaurant". Inhabitat. Archived from the original on 2020-02-09. Retrieved 2020-02-08. The Governor Alfred E. Smith, renamed simply "The Governor," was purchased at auction earlier this month and its new owners have ambitious plans to transform the boat into a unique dining experience.
[7]
Lore Croghan (2020-02-04). "Landmarks commission okays outdoor cafe design for Fulton Ferry Landing". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Archived from the original on 2020-02-07. Retrieved 2020-02-08. As Brooklyn Bridge Park announced in December 2018, the Pincus brothers will dock a restored FDNY fire boat, the Governor Alfred E. Smith, on the north side of Fulton Ferry Landing Pier. The historic boat will have additional cafe and bar seating.

Related Articles