Miami-Dade Fire Rescue (MDFR) recently announced the addition of two fireboats to its maritime response fleet. On Sept. 28 at 4 pm, the two newest members of its maritime community and Sector Miami arrived at PortMiami.   

Following an 11-day trip from Louisiana, MDFR welcomed home the two new 50-by-16-foot vessels built by Metal Shark in Franklin, La., with a specialized arrangement optimized for firefighting. With a projected top speed of more than 43 knots and mission-enhancing features, the fireboats will protect South Florida waterways in more agile and efficient ways.   

As part of the welcoming ceremony, MDFR Fireboat 21 and Fireboat 73 waited by the North jetty and brought in the new fireboats via Government Cut with a celebratory water salute. Upon the arrival of the new fireboats at the West Turning Basin, the old fireboats shut down pump operations, and the new fireboats pumped for three minutes.   

The boats will not be placed into service immediately; an official ceremony will take place in a couple of weeks as soon as the boats are ready to go into service.