New York City's Fireboat 343
In a lawsuit a whistleblower is charging that New York City’s new $27 million Fireboat 343, named after the number of New York firefighters killed on 9/11, was damaged in a storm last winter when sideswiped by another fireboat, the Firefighter II, which apparently had lost control in the rough currents. The lawsuit filed by Frederick Domini – a city firefighter and licensed marine engineer – alleges that the Firefighter II had been taken out against the advice of the vessel’s pilot.
FDNY’s $27M fireboat, the 343, damaged in collision with sister ship: whisteblower’s lawsuit
“The FDNY has a culture, custom, practice and usage of ignoring safety concerns of licensed mariners,” Domini charged in the complaint, filed in Brooklyn Federal Court.
The accident came four months after the 343 made its debut with great fanfare on the ninth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. It suffered scratches, and some paint was scraped off its hull.
The FF II sustained heavier damage – about 30 feet of gunwale and handrail were sheared off its decks.
Domini claims he’s been forced to walk the plank by department brass for blowing the whistle on serious violations of Coast Guard regulations and federal law during the 343’s training sessions.
“The FDNY has a culture, custom, practice and usage of ignoring safety concerns of licensed mariners,” Domini charged in the complaint, filed in Brooklyn Federal Court.
The accident came four months after the 343 made its debut with great fanfare on the ninth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. It suffered scratches, and some paint was scraped off its hull. The FF II sustained heavier damage – about 30 feet of gunwale and handrail were sheared off its decks.
Domini claims he’s been forced to walk the plank by department brass for blowing the whistle on serious violations of Coast Guard regulations and federal law during the 343’s training sessions.
The violations endanger not only FDNY personnel but anyone in New York Harbor or the city waterways that the 343 may come into contact with, the suit says.
Domini wants the courts to ground the 343 until the Coast Guard or a special master appointed by a judge is satisfied the FDNY is following proper safety procedures.
FDNY spokesman Frank Gribbon said he could not confirm there was an accident involving the 343 and declined to comment on the suit.
Domini was slapped with disciplinary charges for refusing to participate in training sessions on the 343.
Last month, the Daily News reported the 343 has been plagued by malfunctioning equipment and technical glitches since its debut and had been taken out of service for repairs – including a paint job at a dry dock in Connecticut.
Fire officials denied the fireboat is a lemon, insisting the problems are part of the shakeout process.
Thanks to Bowsprite for passing the article along.