FIRE BOAT: Stories of Maritime Valor

 

Welcome Aboard

The boat sits dockside outside Engine 20 firehouse at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Ohio Street in Buffalo, New York, where it has been berthed for almost 125 years. You can see her clearly from the walkway of the Michigan Avenue Bridge, and even at a casual glance it is obvious this boat is a fire engine. Her red and white paint scheme alone might be enough to define her, but the twin water cannons on her bow remove any doubt of the purpose of this boat. The wheelhouse proudly displays the seal of the Buffalo Fire Department, and her name in clean white lettering is clearly visible.

This is the Edward M. Cotter.

Built in Elizabeth, New Jersey in 1900 and brought home to the city of Buffalo that same year, she was originally named the William S. Grattan. She joined a fleet of two other boats; The George R. Potter and the John M. Hutchinson. Both boats would eventually be taken out of service in the 1920s, and the Potter briefly returned to service in 1928 after the Cotter was destroyed fighting an oil barge fire and rebuilt.

Designed as both firefighter and icebreaker, she and her crews have served with distinction. She was among the first of the steel hulled fireboats that came about near the turn of the 20^th century, and she has outlived them all. She has fought the largest of fires, broken miles of ice, helped save other boats and ships, and like the Phoenix, rose from her own ashes to serve again.

As passengers come aboard, they are greeted by members of a volunteer crew who have worked to keep the boat in her beautiful and serviceable condition. “This is so cool!” is probably the most common reaction. For some, it might be the first time aboard a boat of any type. Some have never seen a fireboat, and others who have been on boats prior see it as a new experience and a chance to look into the world of firefighting.

The Master of the Boat is Buffalo Fire Department Lieutenant Michael Kick. He is regarded as the Captain aboard the Cotter. During a civilian cruise, Mike will step to the bow and invite everyone to come forward. His orientation talks are varied, but contain the same basic introduction to the boat and how it operates. One such talk outlined the unique dry hydrant system in Buffalo that the fireboats supplied with water when needed. Passengers are encouraged to walk around the boat and ask questions, reminded not to enter areas that are marked not to do so or are roped off.

One passenger asked the captain what would happen if the boat had to respond to an emergency while everyone was aboard. The captain replied “Well, we can’t just put you off, so you would have to go with us”. This passenger enthusiastically asked if she could aim one of the water cannons. Another asked when shown the wheelhouse if she could be allowed to steer. Mike politely replied “No”.

The boat serves as a goodwill ambassador for the city of Buffalo. Even though the boat is available for dockside tours and cruises on the river and out onto Lake Erie, this is a working fireboat. Changes in the waterfront over the years have created less of a call for boat supplied fire suppression, but there are still areas along the river that are not accessible to the city’s fire apparatus. The Cotter is dispatched, carrying firefighters from a nearby firehouse.

The boat has other regular duties. The Cotter has been utilized by The United States Coast Guard and local law enforcement for everything from safety inspections to drug interdiction (search and seizure for narcotics and contraband). Troops leaders from Boy Scouts of America have had the opportunity to teach nautical safety to their scouts. 

The main water intake for the city water supply is out in the Emerald Channel and requires periodic cleaning and maintenance. Crews from the Buffalo Water Authority are transported aboard the Cotter to clean and service the facility, while the crew of the Cotter utilizes her water cannons to clean the dock and the surrounding platform.

Certainly, of primary importance is her icebreaking function. During the winter, the Buffalo River still freezes and unless continuously kept clear of ice, waterways in four neighboring counties will undergo flood conditions. The Cotter helps keep that water flowing.

A tour of the boat might begin in the forward galley. Prior to her rebuild in 1930, this area was the wheelhouse. Now situated above the galley, the wheelhouse contains the helm (steering wheel) of the boat, as well as communications and navigation gear.

Moving aft (rearward) there is a passageway that leads to the engine room access. This area is off limits to non-crew members, but the open upper deck area allows a full view of the Cotter’s four diesel engines, the generators and the pumps that can supply electrical power and up to 15,000 gallons of water a minute. The average fire engine can supply anywhere from 1,000 to 2,000 gallons, giving the Cotter seven to ten times the water delivery capacity.

On this upper deck, there are displays about the boat and her history. Details about the life of the boat’s eponym, Edward M. Cotter, are seen as well as a brief history of the boat and calls for service it has delivered.

The attention of the guests will almost always center on the Cotter’s water cannons. These are the main water delivery appliances, along with several types of fire hose that connect to the discharge manifold (water delivery connections) on both sides of the boat. At full pressure of 160 psi (pounds per square inch) water delivery can reach over four times the length of the boat itself. The boat is 118 feet from bow to stern, but even at roughly 500 feet, the water streams are still compact enough for firefighters to direct water on specific spots where it is needed most.

Chief Engineer Jack Kelleher is below, and has the engines already running when guests come onboard. Along with Captain Kick, Chief Kelleher is responsible for overseeing the operation and maintenance of the boat. Of her four Caterpillar diesel engines, two are for propulsion and two are for pumping water. The Cotter can navigate (move) and pump water simultaneously, but to achieve her full output, all four engines power the pumps and the boat must remain stationary, either by mooring line or anchored.

Soon the mooring lines are pulled in and the boat makes a slow and deliberate departure from the firehouse dock. At a top speed of 11 knots (about 10 miles per hour) the boat travels only slightly slower than her original 13 knots. She is very stable under normal conditions, and if the lake itself is choppy, the passengers may get a bit of a bumpy ride. Still, the crew and the captain take great care in making the experience as comfortable as well as educational as possible.

Along the boat’s midline are two simulated smokestacks. Although not quite where the original stacks that vented smoke and steam were located, they were added to commemorate the boat’s history as a steam powered seacraft. These are adorned with the letters BFD, and match the boat’s red and white paint scheme.

Moving toward the rear of the boat, there are two more water cannons. One is mounted on a telescoping platform and one is on the deck itself. A fifth water cannon is located on the roof of the wheelhouse. Various firefighting tools as well as two life rafts are secured to the deck.

As the boat moves along toward the channel and Lake Erie, various landmarks are pointed out. Occasionally, riders of jet skis or boats pulling water-skiers will outpace the boat. It is a recreational area, with other boats moored on either side of the river. The view of the Buffalo city skyline depending on time of day is picturesque, and there’s plenty of time for photography.

The boat will pass The Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park and see one of the museum’s primary exhibits. CLG-4, known as the USS Little Rock, is moored there. The Little Rock holds special significance to the Cotter, as the crew and others from the fire department saved the boat from floundering due to taking on water.

Once out into the Emerald Channel and into Lake Erie, it is time to demonstrate one of the boat’s firefighting capabilities. The crew will ask everyone to step inside as the water cannons are prepared for use. The streams start slow, and anyone on the deck when the water starts flowing is going to get wet. Once the water is at full pressure, everyone is invited out onto the deck to see the streams. If the sun is right, there will be a rainbow, and with the American Flag prominently seen, it can be a most inspirational sight.

 

Now, let’s consider what this same boat was like 125 years ago.

It was a new boat, and had yet to undergo the strain and metal fatigue of over a century of icebreaking. The color scheme was black and white, and very little attention was given to show. As a coal burning steamboat, it was loud. The smokestacks vented a continuous cloud of black smoke and steam that permeated the air. As a result, the boat was by no means clean. As on any ship, the crew worked to maintain the boat through continued maintenance. The boat was kept scraped and painted as needed to combat rust.

The deck mounted water cannon at the rear of the boat was there, but the tower would not be added until 1930. The water cannons on the bow are the same, and until the addition of the diesel engines in the 50s, the boat’s maximum water output was 9,000 gpm (gallons per minute) supplied by three 3,000 gpm pumps.

Public tours would come later, but in the beginning the boat was all business as the firefighting and marine crews got used to the boat and how to operate it. It was designated as Engine 20, and her sister boat, the Potter, was re-designated as Engine 29. The Engine 20 firehouse became the new home of the Grattan, which was replaced in 1955 and still stands today as the home of the Cotter.

No one in 1900 would have guessed the boat would survive almost total destruction, three major refits and numerous improvements and changes over her 125 years in service. Surely no one would have envisioned her as the striking symbol of maritime service and history that serves the city and the people of Buffalo to this day. 

 

Photo caption: The water cannons of the Edward M. Cotter as they are charged on a civilian cruise. During fire operations, the flow is much stronger, delivering water at a maximum of 160 psi (pounds per square inch) and at a combined output of 15,000 gpm.