This is NOT the call out you want to get… But kudos to those firefighters and their Captain for their response and ability to assist! They deserve ALL the recognition they are getting!!!
By MC1(AW) Peter D. Blair & MCSN Gabriel Bevan, The Dolphin, Aug 9, 2012
GROTON, Conn. – Twelve members of the Naval Submarine Base New London (SUBASE) Fire Department answered the call for assistance on May 23 as a fire broke out on USS Miami (SSN 755) while the submarine was in dry dock at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) in Kittery, Maine. The firefighters left SUBASE in teams of four, driving 170 miles in the middle of the night to help Miami’s crew and other first responders combat and ultimate extinguish the fire that raged for more than 10 hours.
Answering the Call
The fire broke out in the submarine’s forward compartment at approximately 5:30 p.m., May 23, as USS Miami was undergoing the third month of a scheduled 20-month maintenance period at the shipyard. As first responders from the submarine and the PNSY Fire Department began to fight the fire, it became clear that help was needed to combat the blaze. The call was made for mutual assistance from Maine’s seacoast community fire departments as well as other agency and Navy teams in the region.
“Chief Clapsadle called me at 9:00 p.m. and said we were sending guys to Portsmouth because the USS Miami was on fire,” recounted SUBASE Firefighter John Dwire Jr. ” I asked him ‘are you serious’, and he said ‘yes, get here!’”
The first of the three teams departed SUBASE at 9:25 p.m. and arrived at the shipyard at midnight. Having combated the fire for nearly seven hours, PNSY fire teams were encouraged by SUBASE’s experienced and submarine-familiar hands.
“The incident Commander was quite happy to see us when we arrived on the scene,” said SUBASE Fire Department Captain Peter Woodbury. “I asked him what he needed from us, and he simply asked if we were ready to go to work.”
SUBASE firefighters teamed with shipyard firefighters as well as members from responding local civilian departments and quickly went on the attack.
The firefighters cleared debris from passageways, pushed forward, and began directly fighting the fire. Several times just as teams were beginning to make headway, they had to back out due to low air in their Self Contained Breathing Apparatus’ (SCBA) tanks.
SUBASE Fire Captain Jeffery Post led such teams, some comprised with Sailors from USS Pasadena (SSN 752) which was also in the shipyard.
“We meshed really well together very quickly,” said Post. “One of the Pasadena Sailors was a volunteer firefighter that I trained.”
Post would enter the sub five times during the fire – more than any other SUBASE Fire Department member, each time helping his own firefighters as well as other departments continue the effort.
“I felt that I was capable of going back in,” said Post. “And I felt compelled to be with our guys as long as I could.”
The firefighters’ extraordinary efforts finally succeeded as the blaze aboard USS Miami was extinguished at approximately 3:30 a.m., May 24.
Heroic Team
More than 21 fire departments and response teams from across four states -Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut – ultimately contributed to the effort.
“The heroic actions of this team of firefighters stabilized the situation, protecting the crew and shipyard workers,” said Rear Admiral Richard P. Breckenridge, Commander, Submarine Group Two after the fire. “The fire spread to spaces within the submarine that were difficult to access, presenting a challenging situation for responders, but they persevered in incredible heat and smoke conditions, demonstrating exceptional courage and skill to gain control of the fire.”
The fire and subsequent damage on USS Miami was limited to the forward compartment spaces only, which included crew living, command and control spaces, and the torpedo room. There were no torpedoes or other weapons on board the submarine.
Breckenridge recognized the twelve SUBASE firefighters during a special award ceremony for base fire department members and families shortly after he and the firefighters returned to SUBASE following the event.
Each responding SUBASE firefighter received a Department of the Navy meritorious Civilian Service Award.
Members of Congress also recognized the efforts of all the first responders and fire departments that answered the call to assist in extinguishing the USS Miami fire.
The U.S. Senate passed Senate Resolution 488 which reads in part:
“Your inspirational efforts were critical to limiting damage to a vital national security asset and preventing the loss of any lives while fighting the fire. It is thanks to your unparallel bravery and skill that the repair of the USS Miami, and the quick return to its mission keeping our country safe and secure, may be possible.”
The firefighters said they were just doing their job.
“Firefighters don’t go home until the fire is out, whether it takes an hour or 25 hours,” said SUBASE Assistant Fire Chief Robert Kelley.
While those on the front line remain humble, SUBASE Fire Department leadership is full of pride.
“It was a department effort. To set up and deploy while also covering missions on base, shows every firefighter’s commitment and dedication,” said SUBASE Fire Chief Thomas Clapsadle. “Such professionalism always allows all us to respond in short order, just like in this case. I couldn’t be prouder of the guys.”
On Friday, Aug. 3, those SUBASE firefighters were publically recognized for their efforts during the base’s quarterly awards ceremony.
Captain Marc W. Denno, SUBASE commanding officer, thanked the twelve and the entire department for what they did for the Submarine Force and the base.
“The professionalism and dedication they displayed reflects on the entire department,” said Denno. “I always knew they were good, but sometimes it takes an event like this to realize just how much you appreciate what they do.”
Awesome. And definitely not a call I’d want to get – but there’s something about that whistle… Pavlovian reflex.
I do kind of wonder though – when you’re talking about two naval facilities and a multi-billion-dollar sub in the balance – why they couldn’t whistle up a couple Blackhawks/Seahawks or even a COD C-2 for the hop up there.
Fighting a fire on a sub . . . . that would sure tweak your pucker factor!! Too bad they couldn’t leave the arsonist in a head somewhere.
The challenges of fighting a fire on a ship, even one in dry dock and moreover fighting a fire on a submarine are daunting and most serious. The uninitiated simply can’t grasp the heat and the darkness in very confined metal spaces.
My heart goes out to those brave souls.
Makes us all proud we have quality people like these serving.
Bravo Zulu.
You know, each member of a crew is trained in firefighting on the boat and can maneuver to all points blindfolded from one breathing jack to the next.
The only thing that ever scared me on the ship was the thought of a compartment fire. My one flight deck fire was more than enough.
Those men are amazing.
Middle of the night, and no bases closer than Andrews with helo’s that could do the lift… Much less carry any equipment.
eia- Concur, shipboard is bad enough!
LL- Yep, they done good!
WSF- Amen!
Ed- Yep, but when the crew is down to duty section, you need a few more than that…
Instinct- Good point, and agree!
The fire burned for 10 hours. That’s plenty of time to drive from Groton. Too bad they couldn’t use the old SAC base at Pease and a C-130.
Good for them! I am humbled that we have people such as these.
They only needed one jarhead and a bucket of “belay that shit right now!”.
PE- Good point!
Keads- LARGE balls… Just sayin…
Skip- LOL