The City of Pittsburgh has purchased a 34-foot fireboat for its Bureau of Fire. It will be used to respond to emergencies and help manage fires on waterways, waterfronts, rail lines, and marinas that lie along the Alleghany and Monongahela Rivers, which join together in Pittsburgh to form the Ohio River. This is the city's first fireboat in more than 40 years.

The fireboat is a deep V-hull configuration with an 11-foot overall beam. It will be powered by a twin Yamaha F300 4.2L V-6 outboard motors, capable of a top speed greater than 40 mph.

The firefighting system features a compact Hale 80FC pump flowing up to 300 gallons of water per minute, which is powered by a dedicated 6.6L Duramax V-8 diesel engine. The fire pump includes a 6-inch main discharge that feeds a number of outlets, including bow- and stern-mounted TFT hurricane monitors, each capable of flowing 1,250 gallons of water per minute.

The 11-foot long pilot master cabin features excellent outward visibility and includes a 15,000-Btu (British thermal unit) rooftop air conditioning unit, an adjustable (and full suspension) operator's seat, additional bench seating, self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) mounting brackets, a chart table with storage, and a cuddy cabin for general storage.

The fireboat also features Garmin electronics, including a chart plotter, high-definition radar, sonar, and a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) system, all controlled through 12- and 16-inch touchscreens. Additional features include a full complement of LED floodlights and spotlights, a raised engine compartment/work deck, an automatic engine compartment fire suppression system, a hinged radar arch, dive bottle racks, and removable canvas awning.

Lake Assault, a manufacturer of purpose-built and mission-specific fire and rescue boats, has been chosen to construct the boat, which will be delivered in summer 2017. Once delivered, the company will provide three days of training with Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire personnel. The contract is valued at more than $540,000.