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The fire calls come as messages tapped out on the teleprinter of Fire Department Marine Co. 1. Within 60 seconds, a fireboat, such as the John D. McKean, can be under way, and Lt. Frank Winters' six-man crew would be preparing to battle a blaze aboard a vessel in the harbor.
As Kenny Weiss, the pilot, maneuvered the 128-foot fireboat through the waters of New York harbor, Pat Murphy would man the decks, ready to operate one of the McKean's six water cannons, known as monitors. Arnold Wittschiebe would prepare to lower two small launches to pick up any people adrift near a burning vessel.
Below deck, the two engineers, Ray Giffin and Martin Steed, would start seawater surging through a 20-inch pipe to the McKean's four 5,000-gallon pumps. Michael Ambrosini, working in the engine room, would keep the McKean churning ahead at 12 knots.
As the fireboat neared a burning vessel,...