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

Commissioned – by the Fire Department as Engine 16 – October 4, 1960

Cost - $350,000

Official Number – 284480

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 2,170 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.

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 )

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

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..On October 2, 1960, at 5:25 PM., the "P. W. Wilkinson", second of the three new diesel powered Fireboats, arrived in Baltimore from the Jakobson Shipyard, Oyster Bay, Long Island, NY.
..After equipment was transferred over from the "Cataract", the "P. W. Wilkinson" was placed in service with Engine Co. 16, Pier 7, foot of President Street, at 11:46 AM. on October 4, 1960.

P. W. WILKINSON .was the .Executive Secretary .of
the Baltimore City Fire Department for .an unprece -
dented 54 years of service. From July 11, 1900 until
he was retired on .May 11, 1954, Mr. Wilkinson was
widely .known .as ."Mr. Fire Departemnt" because of
his remarkably wide knowledge of the detaied oper -
ations. of .the .Fire Department and his outstanding
administrative abilities.---------------------------------------

..On Friday October 14, 1960, the Fireboat “P. W. Wilkinson” was officially christened by Mrs. Wilkinson, widow of the former Executive Secretary of the Fire Department, who the boat had been named in honor of.
..The ceremonies were held at Engine 16’s quarters, Pier 7, foot of President Street. All three of the new boats were dedicated at this time, although the third boat, “August Emrich” had not arrived from the builder yet, due to bad weather holding up trials at Long Island, NY.
..After the ceremonies, and also on Saturday and Sunday, between 10:00 AM. and 6:00 PM., the Fireboat “P. W. Wilkinson”, along with the “Mayor J. Harold Grady” were open for public inspection at President Street.

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Fireboat .P. W. Wilkinson. working .at. Pier 5, .Pratt Street on February 12,
1968.. All. four .Fireboats. of. the Marine Division were called to .battle this
stubborn lumber pier fire.---------------------------------------------------------------------

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Fireboat. P. W. Wilkinson working at a fire aboard the former bay steamer
"Provincetown" at Pier 3, Pratt Street on June 4, 1969. In 1968, the color
of .the .Fireboat .stacks was changed from a buff .color to red.. Note small
hose reel next to stack for 1½” hose---------------------------------------------------

..At 4:00 PM. On June 30, 1972, Engine Co.16 at President Street was re-designated Fireboat No.1. At the same time, the Company received the Fireboat “Mayor Thomas D’Alesandro, Jr.” from Engine Co.48, which had been disbanded.
..The Chief's inactive Tender Boat "Charles D. Gaither" was moved to the Repair Shop on Key Highway to be auctioned and the Fireboat “P. W. Wilkinson” moved over to the east side of the pier and became Reserve Fireboat No.1. The next day on July 1, 1972, The "P. W. Wilkinson" assumed the roll of the Marine Battalion Chief's Tender Boat, being manned with a detail of extra marine personnel from the disbanded Fireboats.
..On March 28, 1974, the Marine Battalion of the Baltimore City Fire Department was disbanded and the Fireboats were re-assigned to the Second Battalion. Battalion Chief 2 will be dispatched on all alarms involving ships in the stream not accessible to land firefighting equipment using the reserve "standby" Fireboat.
..On December 15, 1975, Fireboat No. 1 was relocated to the former quarters of Engine Co. 48 at Colgate Creek, to better protect the Lower Patapsco section of the Harbor. The "P. W. Wilkinson", along with the "August Emrich" remained at Pier 7 President Street with a detailed stand-by crew to maintain the boats, and to be able to place a third boat in service in the event of a serious fire in the harbor.
..On July 20, 1977, the Reserve Fireboat Station at Pier 7 President Street was closed. Reserve Fireboat No. 1, "P. W. Wilkinson" was re-assigned to the quarters of Fireboat No. 1 at Colgate Creek and the stand-by crew was discontinued.

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P. W. Wilkinson at the Colgate Creek Fireboat Pier. During 1983 the Fireboat
hulls .were changed from black to orange.. The significance of .the black .and
yellow stripe is that they are the colors of .Baltimore City. .This would be the
boat's home from 1977 until being decommissioned in December 1991. -------

..On December 14, 1991, Fireboat No. 1 at Colgate Creek was disbanded and the station closed. The Fireboat "Mayor Thomas D'Alesandro, Jr." was re-assigned to Fireboat No. 2 at Fort McHenry and the "P. W. Wilkinson" was moved to the Fire Department Repair Shop Pier on Key Highway and decommissioned. Fireboat Company No. 2 was charged with maintenance and records of the boat until it could be disposed of.

Fireboat P. W. Wilkinson layed up at the Fire Department Repair Shop Pier
in August of 1993, awaiting auction.-----------------------------------------------------

..The “P. W. Wilkinson” remained deactivated at the Repair Shop until October of 1994, when the boat was brought back to operating condition for demonstration purposes in preparation for auction.
..At 11:00 AM on November 2, 1994, the "P. W. Wilkinson" was sold at auction to the successful bidder, The Vane Brothers Co., Baltimore, MD. for $65,000

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