A fire aboard a ship is unlike any other fire we face. It is unique in many ways, not the least of which is what I call the “politics of the incident.” Can you imagine responding to a fire without the autonomy to control the incident as you deem necessary? That is just one challenge when responding to a ship fire.
Let me start by putting to rest some common misunderstandings. The first is that a ship fire is the responsibility of the United States Coast Guard (USCG), which will fight the fire. It is true that the USCG has the responsibility of port and waterway safety, but it will not engage in firefighting unless one of its vessels is involved. Although the USCG provides a great deal of support, it relies on the fire service to take the lead when there is a fire aboard a ship.
Another erroneous statement I’ve heard is that a ship is not in the fire department’s jurisdiction. Many cities believe their jurisdiction ends at the high-water mark. Although I can’t speak for every city, I suspect that that isn’t an accurate description based on the state’s interpretation. Even if it were true, the resulting lack of response could lead to an economic disaster, loss of life, or both. Can you imagine the headline in the local paper if we fail to respond?
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