HISTORY OF ENGINE CO. 7
MARINE DIVISION
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COMPANY ORGANIZED: DECEMBER 15, 1894
COMPANY QUARTERS
COMPANY QUARTERS
1895-1934 60 Portland Pier, near the end, on the East side
1934-1948 60 Portland Pier (Westside)
1948-1985 42 Commercial Street at Maine State Pier (Westside)
1985-1988 Portland Fish Pier (Eastside, temporary berth)
1988- 54 Commercial at State Pier, Casco Bay Ferry Terminal (Westside)
COMPANY NAMES
COMPANY NAMES
1894- Engine Co. 7 (Fireboat, “City of Portland”)
Marine Division, with boats designated as Marine 1, 2 and 3)
ABRIDGED HISTORY
ABRIDGED HISTORY
November 6, 1882 – Disastrous fire occurred on Widgery’s wharf on Commercial Street. A lack of wind kept the fire from extending to Union and Central wharves. At City Council meeting the following evening, 26 waterfront property owners and businessmen signed a petition seeking protection from fires by either the City buying a fireboat or to make arrangements with the owners of such a boat to be used when needed. Also, the Council received communication from the Board of Fire Underwriter’s asking the City Council to place a fireboat under the control of the fire department.
January 2, 1883 – City Council passed order to contract with Forest City Steamboat Co. for use of the 54-foot steam ferryboat Mary W. Libby as a fireboat on the City’s waterfront for $1200 a year and $25 an hour when in service at a fire. The Portland Co. installed a Davidson steam engine pump on the boat for $500, capable of throwing two powerful water streams. The ferryboat was built in Cape Elizabeth in 1874, owned by Benjamin J. Willard and placed in service between Portland and Ferry Village.
April 29, 1884 – Mary W. Libby responded to a fire aboard the steam boat Falmouth, near the Railroad wharf and worked sixteen hours extinguishing the fire. Three Falmouth crew members died while they were sleeping. That year, a more powerful steam pump was purchased from the Portland Company and installed on the Mary W. Libby. The older Davidson pump was removed and placed on another steamer, the Josephine Hoey. The installation work on both boats was completed July 30th.
The leasing of the two ferryboats for firefighting continued to be a concern. At times when they were needed, they were often full of passengers or away from the waterfront down the bay delivering freight.
1894 – An extra-first size Amoskeag 1,800gpm stationary pump was purchased. Later in the year on
October 29th, the committee on fire department recommended purchase of the 1891 ferryboat Chebeague from the Harpswell Steamboat Company and rebuild it as a city fireboat. The City Council approved the purchase November 12th and the boat was transferred to the City of Portland on November 24th.
December 15, 1894 – Charles How elected Fireboat Captain and Harbor Master. He had been the Captain of the Steam Tugboat C.A. Warren. Engineer Charles A. Goud was appointed Engineer, and Charles N. Evans as Fireman. The Amoskeag stationary pump arrived December 28th and was set up by the Portland Co. on January 2, 1895. A monitor nozzle (turret) was placed on the forward deck.
The fireboat was then brought to its berth near the end of Portland Pier, on the east-side. A section of the “Peoples Ferry House” (Peaks Island Ferry Co.), which was next to the coal sheds near the end of the pier, was remodeled for quarters for the fireboat Crew.
February 19, 1895 – Fireboat placed in commission, following pump trials in Portland Harbor. The former steamer Chebeague was officially renamed as Engine 7 on February 21st.
March 13, 1895 – Engine 7 responded to its first fire at the Long Wharf Fish Company.
1909 – A second monitor purchased from A.J. Morse and mounted atop fireboat’s pilot house.
December 31, 1931 – The old Engine 7“City of Portland” was replaced with a new 6,000gpm diesel fireboat, built in East Boothbay. The new fireboat answered its first alarm to a fire on Central Wharf on January 28, 1932, which caused $40,000 in damage.
The monitors on the old fireboat were removed and the City Council approved the sale of it for $500 to Mr. N.A. Jacobson. The City manager had recommended the sale because of the City’s $50 weekly cost.
February 10, 1942 – Two-alarm fire broke out in the old Amory building at the end of Portland Pier, which also damaged the fireboat quarters. Temporarily, the crew slept on board the fireboat. The crew later moved to new quarters on the wharf on July 15th.
February 27, 1948 – Fireboat and crew moved to their new quarters on the west side of State Pier.
1959 – Third Portland fireboat arrived with a 7,000gpm 65-foot steel hull vessel, built by General Ship & Engine Works, East Boston.
March 4, 1985 – Fireboat and crew relocated to temporary quarters at Portland Fish Pier at Marine Trade Center while the Maine State Pier was renovated.
July 10, 1993 – A new Avon boat placed in service.
February 14, 1989 – New quarters were completed at the Casco Bay garage for the crew of Engine 7.
1993 – A second boat (Joseph C. Cavallaro, Jr.) was purchased for a faster response to island medical emergency calls.
1995 – The Fireboat Company was named as “Marine Division.”
2005 – A third boat was purchased for the Marine Division, a 20-ft. Pacific Skiff all-aluminum work boat, with a 140hp Suzuki outboard motor. It was assigned as “Marine 3.”
July 26, 2009 – The City’s forth fireboat (City of Portland), built by A.F. Theriault & Sons shipyard, Nova Scotia, Canada arrived in Portland Harbor, greeted by the 1959 Marine 1, which it will replace.
MARINE DIVISION BOATS
MARINE DIVISION BOATS
1894 1891 wooden 71-foot boat “Chebeague” built by J.H. Dyer for Harpswell Steamboat Company.
Beam; 17-feet, Depth; 6.6 feet, Cylinder; 13x14-inches, 23.87 Net-Tons at 10 to 12 Knots.
Purchased by the City of Portland November 12, 1894, fitted as a fireboat, with an extra-first size
1,800gpm Amoskeag stationary steam pump engine. Later, named City of Portland” $5,000
In service 2/19/1895 (12/28/94-pump arrived, installed, forward-deck monitor) $2,000
(6/1909-2nd Amoskeag extra 1st-size pump installed) $2,250
(2nd monitor (Turret) mounted on the pilot-house)
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1931 90-foot steel vessel built by General Ship Co., designed by Dwight Simpson and constructed by
Rice Brothers of East Boothbay, with a width of 22-feet, 3 propellers, 6-foot draft, with 5 Diesel
Engines (main engine with 2 wing engines and 2 pumping engines for 4 Dean Hill 1,500gpm
Centrifugal pumps w/10-inch suction, 6,000gpm total pumping capacity at 150psi, w/4 monitors,
top speed, 15 knots (2nd “City of Portland”). $125,000
In service 12/31/31 (1/19/1931-authorization approved by City Council)
(10/24/31-Christened and Launched, 11/19/31-in Portland Harbor)
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1959 65-foot steel hull vessel built by General Ship & Engine Works, East Boston, four diesel engines,
Equipped with two DeLaval 3,500gpm fire pumps,7,000gpm total pumping capacity, at 150 psi.,
Carrying 12-foot work boat. (3rd “City of Portland”) $238,481
In service 4/24/59 (1981-new 12-ft. work boat, 2005-designated as “Marine 1”)
Out of service 9/21/09 (9/21/09-designated as “Reserve Marine 4”)
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1987 17 ½-foot Zodiac rigid-hull inflatable boat with a two-wheel trailer.
In service 7/10/93 Out of service - 2018
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1993 42-foot Duffy & Duffy custom emergency boat, with a Caterpillar diesel engine, purchased for
faster response to Portland’s islands for EMS emergencies, named “Joseph C. Cavallaro, Jr.
In service 6/10/93 (6/8-at State Pier, 6/10-service run, 6/23-EMS run, Long Island)
(2005-Cavallaro Boat designated as “Marine 2”)
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1993 18-foot Avon ridged-hull inflatable boat with a two-wheel trailer. $
In service 7/10/93 Out of service - 2002
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2005 20-ft. Pacific Skiff all-aluminum work boat, with a 140hp Suzuki outboard motor, as “Marine 3.”
In service 8/1/05
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2009 65-foot vessel built by A.F. Theriault & Sons shipyard, Nova Scotia, Canada
(4th “City of Portland”)
($1,000,000 Homeland Security, $450,000 Federal Port Security, 1,750,000-City, = $3.2 million)
In service 9/21/09 (7/26/09-arrived in Casco Bay w/water salute from 1959 fireboat)
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