Emergency Response: Houston

Print this Article | Send to Colleague

A two-week voyage through four Great Lakes and the Mississippi River has brought to the Port of Houston Authority the third of three high-performance emergency response vessels.

Houston: New Fireboat Makes Its Way Down the Mississippi to Houston

A two-week voyage through four Great Lakes and the Mississippi River has brought to the Port of Houston Authority the third of three high-performance emergency response vessels. The new boats equip the Port Authority's firefighting team with what some describe as the most sophisticated fleet in the world.

The third new emergency response vessel for the Port of Houston has made the long journey and the crew is excited to be home again. As soon as the sun rose, they were on the boat, and checked all the fluid levels in the engines, generators, transmissions and jets. It was another long day with 100 miles to the Gulf of Mexico and another 279 miles across the Gulf to Galveston. Their plan was to average 35 knots.

The Port of Houston Fire Department operates three fire stations, strategically stationed along the 52-mile-long Houston Ship Channel. Certified emergency professionals respond to marine and land fires and other emergencies along the upper ship channel.

The Port of Houston has been documenting the vessel’s voyage down the Mississippi River on its Facebook page.

Port of Houston Authority’s new fireboat docked in Vicksburg, MS, on its way to Houston.
Photo/Port of Houston Authority