Name Discovery Cost $1,597,000 Commissioned 16 May 2014 Length 14 m | Builder Munson Marine Completed April 2015 Launched 2014 | |
Operator Vancouver Fire Department | ||
The Discovery is a fireboat launched on the Columbia River in 2014. The new vessel will be operated by the Vancouver Fire Department. The vessel's water cannons can pump 3,000 US gal/min (11,000 L/min) and is the city's first dedicated fireboat.
She was purchased through a port security grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The $2.7 million grant was shared with the Fire Department of nearby Astoria, Oregon, and Clark County Fire & Rescue.
In 2002 the Washington Survey and Review Bureau published a report that stated that Vancouver maritime commerce was well above the size where the city needed a dedicated fireboat. The publication of the report triggered an increase local insurance rates. The FEMA report Marine Response Vessel Use and Design Assessment recommended that Vancouver's fireboat should have a minimum pumping capacity of at least 5,000 US gal/min (19,000 L/min).
In addition to her fire-fighting capability the vessel is equipped with infrared sensors to support search and rescue missions. She is equipped with facilities to contain oil and other hazardous material spills. She was designed to be of use in the event of natural or man-made disasters, like earthquakes, or terrorist attacks. In her cabin there is decontamination station and facilities for providing frontline medical care.