Three Forty Three
History
New York City Fire Department
Name	Three Forty Three
Operator	New York City Fire Department
Awarded	Dec. 28, 2007
Builder	Eastern Shipbuilding Group
Yard number	968
Laid down	May 2008
Launched	Sept. 11, 2009
Sponsored by	United States Department of Homeland Security
Christened	Sep. 11, 2009
Completed	April, 2010
Acquired	June 23, 2010
Commissioned	May 26, 2010
In service	Sept. 12, 2010
Homeport	Pier 53, Hudson River
Identification	MMSI number: 367597230 Callsign: WDH2404
Status	In Service
Notes	Predecessor: John D. McKean
General characteristics
Class and type	Ranger 4200-class fireboat
Tonnage	500 gt
Length	140 ft (43 m)[1]
Beam	36 ft (11 m)
Draft	9 ft (2.7 m)
Installed power	MTU 4x2000 HP engines
Propulsion	Hundested 4 X Variable Pitch Propellers
Speed	18 kn (21 mph)
Boats & landing craft carried	Small Rescue Boat
Capacity	20,000 gpm/50,000 gpm max
Crew	7

Three Forty Three is a Ranger 4200 class fireboat that serves the New York City Fire Department as Marine Company 1.^[2] Designed by Robert Allan Ltd. and built to replace the 1954 John D. McKean, it was commissioned at 0900 on September 11, 2010, exactly nine years after the 2001 terrorist attacks. It is one of four New York fireboats currently in active service.

Namesake

The boat's name comes from the number of FDNY members killed in the line of duty on September 11, 2001. For days following the terrorist attack the only water available to the area was provided by the FDNY's Marine Units.

Manufacturing

The Three Forty Three was built by Eastern Shipbuilding of Panama City, Florida, and is the largest single purpose fireboat built to date with the highest pumping capacity of any fireboat ever built. A sister vessel named Fire Fighter II was delivered and placed in service with Marine 9 in November 2010 to replace the 70-year-old Fire Fighter, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and represented the city's first major investment in new fireboats in 50 years.^[3]

Features

The 140-foot, 500-ton, $27 million fast response boat is the country's largest fireboat, with a maximum speed of 18 knots. The Three Forty Three incorporates the latest technology available for marine vessels, including the capability of pumping 50,000 gallons of water per minute, nearly 30,000 gallons more than its predecessor. It has an operating crew of seven.