Fireboat to the Rescue
The Seattle Fireboat Duwamish went to the rescue of 2000 aquatic creatures last August 20. Lest this sound a bit strange, in reality if the Duwamish hadn’t immediately begun to circulate a continuous supply of fresh seawater through the piping system at Pier 59 (Seattle Waterfront Park), many of the park’s inhabitants would have died from lack of oxygenated seawater.
The problem originated when the aquarium’s primary pumping unit, which circulates water at the rate of 1500 to 2000 gpm, broke a shaft and employees of the park began to notice water levels rapidly dropping in many of the large displays. The problem was quickly resolved when Engine 4 (the Duwamish) arrived at the scene and laid a manifold supplied by two 3 1/2-inch lines and took four 2 1/2-inch lines off the manifold to supply the aquarium system.
The entire operation lasted two full days until spare parts arrived by air from California to repair the damaged pump shaft and impeller system.
Seattle Fire Department Newsletter
