Edward M. Cotter (fireboat)

Edward M. Cotter
Edward M. Cotter escorting USS Little Rock (LCS-9).
History
Civil Ensign of the United StatesUnited States
NameWilliam S. Grattan (Engine 20)
OperatorBuffalo Fire Department
BuilderCrescent Shipbuilding of Elizabeth City, New Jersey
Cost$91,000
Laid downMarch 24, 1900
Sponsored byVirginia Pearson
ChristenedSeptember 1, 1900 by Lucia Virginia Malone
In service
  • 1900-1928
  • 1930-present
Out of service1928-1930
Renamed
  • Firefighter (1953)
  • Edward M. Cotter (1954)
Refit
HomeportBuffalo, NY
General characteristics
TypeFireboat
Tonnage
  • 274 Gross tons (1900)
  • 178 Gross tons (1953)
Length118 ft (36 m)
Beam24 ft (7.3 m)
Draft10 ft 10 in (3.30 m)
Ice class1.5 in (38.1 mm) thick belt line of Swedish steel around the icebreaking part of the hull
Installed power
  • 2 × Babcock & Wilcox coal-fired boilers and steam engines; 900 indicated horsepower (670 kW) (1900)
  • Oil-fired boilers and steam engines (1930)
  • 4 × Caterpillar D-397 diesel V-type 12-cylinder engines (1953)
Propulsion
  • Single screw (1900)
  • Twin screws (1953)
Speed
  • 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) (1900)
  • 11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph) (1953)
Capacity
  • Water Pumping Capacity
    • Three double action steam pumps
      • 9,000 US gal (34,070 L; 7,494 imp gal) per minute (1900)
    • Four DeLaval Centrifugal Pumps
      • 15,000 US gal (56,781 L; 12,490 imp gal) per minute at 160 psi (11 bar; 1,100 kPa) (1953)
Notes
Edward M. Cotter
Edward M. Cotter (fireboat) is located in New York
Edward M. Cotter (fireboat)
LocationBuffalo, New York
Built1900
ArchitectCrescent Shipbuilding Co.
NRHP reference No.96000968
Significant dates
Added to NRHPJune 28, 1996[1]
Designated NHLJune 28, 1996[2]

Edward M. Cotter is a fireboat in use by the Buffalo Fire Department at Buffalo, New York, United States. Originally named William S. Grattan, it was built in 1900 by the Crescent Shipyard of Elizabeth Port, New Jersey. Due to age, it was rebuilt in 1953 and renamed Firefighter upon its return to service. The following year it was renamed Edward M. Cotter.[3] its namesake, Edward Cotter, was a Buffalo firefighter and leader of the local firefighters union who had recently died.

Edward M. Cotter is considered to be the oldest active fireboat in the world and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1996.[2][4][5] Along with its firefighting duties, during the winter Edward M. Cotter is used as an icebreaker on Buffalo's rivers. Edward M. Cotter mounts five fire monitors that are capable of pumping 15,000 US gallons per minute (0.95 m3/s; 12,000 imp gal/min).[6][7] It can often be seen sailing out of its berth and south-west to Lake Erie, returning north through the breakwall and firing its fire monitors.

  1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
  2. ^ a b "Edward M. Cotter". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. September 11, 2007. Archived from the original on October 11, 2012. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference rename was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Summary of legislation. Assembly Minority Research Services, New York State Assembly. 2004. Retrieved November 8, 2010.
  5. ^ James P. Delgado (January 27, 1989). "National Historic Landmark Nomination: Edward M. Cotter" (pdf). National Park Service. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help) and Accompanying 11 photos, exterior and interior, from 1920 to 1989. (585 KiB)
  6. ^ "Fireboat Edward M. Cotter". Penn Dixie's Miss Buffalo Nature Cruise and Buffalo Lighthouse Tour. June 8, 2003. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved June 6, 2007.
  7. ^ "The World's largest Dyngus Day squirt gun". April 4, 2007. Archived from the original on October 9, 2007. Retrieved June 6, 2007.