The Southern Marin Fire District’s fireboat “Liberty” provides emergency services to the navigable waterways on the southernmost tip of Marin County and 5 nautical miles off our coastline. These waters encompass a variety of shared jurisdictional boundaries. They include the City of San Francisco, County of Marin, Town of Tiburon, California State Parks, and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA).

The fireboat’s primary protection area can be separated into four distinct categories. Our waterfront is used for commercial operations, recreational vessels, residential, and tourism.

The commercial target hazards within the primary response area protected by the fireboat include the Sausalito Ferry Terminal, a commercial fueling dock, an airport for floating planes and helicopters, a sewer treatment facility, numerous restaurants on piers, and commercial fishing operations.

Sausalito hosts the largest marinas for recreational vessels north of Santa Barbara with over 2000 slips and 100 vessels in the anchorage. Fifteen to twenty percent of all of these vessels have full time live-aboard residents. There are over 400 floating homes in the northern part of the Richardson’s Bay.

The fireboat provides emergency response and protection to the annual tourist population visiting the Golden Gate Bridge (15M annually), beaches in the GGNRA, and the ferry system transporting 1.6 million riders annually.

Our fireboat is also considered a regional marine asset listed in the Area Maritime Security Plan. Our boat crews maintain an excellent port partnership with the USCG command staff by responding and training with their fleet regularly. Our crews and boats are considered an available resource to all parts of the San Francisco, San Pablo Bay, and coastal waters of San Francisco and Marin Counties.   

Fireboat “Liberty” is a 40’ Metalcraft twin jet aluminum vessel capable of delivering 1500 gallons per minute of water. She is berthed 100 yards from Sausalito Fire Station 1 and has a three-person crew available 24/7. Our boat can handle a 6-foot sea state and travel at 34 knots.

The SMFD Marine Division provides search and rescue, paramedics, rescue swimmers, fire suppression, SCUBA divers, hazardous material containment, and can dewater sinking vessels.

In 2017 the Federal Government realized the importance of this vital asset in maintaining port security coverage and awarded the District $734,522 through a Port Security Grant.  As a result of this federal grant coupled with the District’s 25% matching of funds the District was able to replace the previous vessel, a 34-foot Metalcraft boat. 

Fireboat “Liberty” is a custom one of a kind boat built in Ontario Canada by Metalcraft Marine. Onboard equipment includes an infrared camera, night vision goggles, radar, sonar, scene lighting, SCUBA gear, firefighting capabilities, advanced life support medical equipment, and hazardous material detection. Liberty is Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and High-Yield Explosive (CBRNE) capable.

For further information regarding the fireboat or marine operations please contact Captain Travis Fox.