John J. Harvey

The fireboat John J. Harvey is a historic vessel that fundamentally changed how firefighters worked on the water. When it launched in 1931, it became the first fireboat to use internal combustion engines, a design choice that allowed the crew to pump water and move the boat simultaneously. This replaced the older steam-powered models that had to stop to focus their power, making the Harvey the fastest and most efficient firefighting machine of its era. At its peak capacity, it could pump 18,000 gallons of water per minute, enough power that the crew once famously demonstrated its reach by shooting a stream of water entirely over the roadway of the newly built George Washington Bridge.