Fireboat "Mayor J. Harold Grady"

Baltimore's Fireboats

..The 85 foot, 6,000 g.p.m. Fireboat No.2, “Mayor J. Harold Grady”, served the Baltimore City Fire Department Marine Division for more than 47 years.
..Except for several months during 1971-72, she has served her entire career as both a first line, and later, reserve boat, at the Fort McHenry Fireboat Station.
..On November 29, 2007, the “Mayor J. Harold Grady" was decommissioned upon activation of our new Fireboat, "John R. Frazier" and is now awaiting disposal at action.

Below is a list of the Company assignments and locations of the "Mayor J. Harold Grady" since her commissioning.

August 29, 1960 - Placed in service with Engine Co. 39, 2609 Leahy Street, Fort McHenry.

December 1, 1971 - Re-assigned to Marine Division Headquarters, Pier 7, foot of President Street as Reserve Boat 39

March 18, 1972 - Returned to Engine Co.39, 2609 Leahy St., Fort McHenry

June 30, 1972 - Engine Co. 39 re-designated Fireboat No. 2

December 14, 1991 - Became Reserve Fireboat No.2, remaining at Fort McHenry.

November 29, 2007 - Removed from service and decommissioned.


The characteristics of the Fireboat Mayor J. Harold Grady are as follows:

Builder – Jakobson Shipyard, Inc., Oyster Bay, Long Island, NY.

Commissioned – by the Fire Department as Engine 39 – August 29, 1960

Cost - $350,000

Official Number – 284479

Construction - all steel

Length overall - 85 feet 4½” inches

Beam - 19 feet 8 inches

Depth of hull - 13 feet 9 inches

Full load draft - 8 feet

Tonnage - 63 Net, ..93 Gross

Fuel capacity - two tanks with total capacity of 2,050 gallons

Maximum speed - 15 m.p.h.

Propulsion - Single screw, Fairbanks-Morse, 10-cylinder opposed piston diesel, rated 880 H.P. at 1,200 rpm.
------------------driving a KaMeWa reversing, 3 blade controllable pitch propeller through a Lufkin 2.49 to 1 reduction gear

Fire pumps - two (2) Fairbanks-Morse, single stage centrifugal, rated 3,000 gpm. at 150 psi. each, driven in-line
------------------off front of main engine

Discharge outlets - twelve (12) 2½”, 8 on manifld at hose reels on main deck, and 4 on forward side of pilot house

Monitor pipes - three (3), Andrew J. Morse & Son, of Boston - one on forward deck, one on pilot house
----------------------( 23' above the water line ), and one aft ( installed from old boats )

Foam - 1,000 gallons of 3% cold protein foam, ( carried in two 500 gallon wing tanks )

Hose - 2,000 feet of 2½”, 200 feet of 1½”, ( later incresed to 600 feet 1½” )

..On December 9, 1959, a contract for $1,051,005 was awarded to the Jakobson Shipyard Inc. of Oyster Bay, Long Island, NY for the construction of three identical all steel, diesel powered fireboats for the City of Baltimore. These vessels, designed by Mr. Thomas D. Bowes, Naval Architect of Philadelphia, PA., were to replace two aging steam fireboats, and an old diesel powered wooden fireboat that was converted from a former Navy sub-chaser of World War I vintage.
..The first vessel to be completed and delivered was the “Mayor J. Harold Grady”, arriving in Baltimore on August 27, 1960, and going in service with Engine Co. 39 two days later on August 29th. Engine 39's former steam fireboat, "Deluge", was decommissioned at that time. The "Mayor J. Harold Grady" was officially dedicated on October 14, 1960, at a joint ceremony for all three of the new boats at Marine Division Headquarters, Pier 7, foot of President Street.







..On December 1, 1971, a downsizing of the Baltimore City Fire Department Marine Division began. On that date, Engine Company 49 at Wagner’s Point was disbanded, and their boat, the “Mayor Thomas D’Alesandro, Jr.” was reassigned to Engine Company 39 at Fort McHenry. Engine Company 39’s boat, the “Mayor J. Harold Grady” became Reserve Boat 39, and was relocated to Marine Division Headquarters, Pier No.7, foot of President Street.
..On March 18, 1972, it was decided to relocate the “Mayor Thomas D’Alesandro, Jr.” to Engine Company 48, at the Dundalk Marine Terminal, and the “Mayor J. Harold Grady” returned to Engine Company 39, at Fort McHenry.
..Several months later, on June 30, 1972, the numbering of fireboats as Engine Companies was discontinued and the “Mayor J. Harold Grady”, Engine Co.39, became Fireboat No.2.



..On December 14, 1991, Fireboat Company No.1 at the Dundalk Marine Terminal was disbanded, and the “Mayor Thomas D’Alesandro, Jr.”, was reassigned to Fireboat Company No.2 at Fort McHenry. At that time, the “Mayor J. Harold Grady” became Reserve Fireboat No.2, remaining at Fort McHenry. This is the boat’s present assignment, and location.





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