Hero John J. Harvey & 9/11

History

She served the FDNY from her launch in 1931 to her retirement in 1994. Among the marine fires at which she assisted were the Cunard Line pier fire in 1932, the burning of the Normandie in 1942, and the ammunition ship El Estero during World War II. She was named for marine fireman John J. Harvey,

killed when the Thomas Willet exploded

during a fire.

She retired as Marine 2.

This is in exact words of Huntly Gill:

On the morning of Tuesday the 11th, Chase Welles, Chief Engineer Tim Ivory, Tomas Cavallaro, Andrew Furber and I met spontaneously at John J. Harvey and took her south from

Pier 63 Maritime to help at the World Trade Center. We joined tugs and ferries evacuating a trapped crowd from the sea wall near the Battery, taking some 150 people north to Pier 40. En route, the Fire Department radioed a request that we drop our passengers as quickly as possible and tie up adjacent to the site to provide pumping capacity since hydrants were not working.

FDNY designated Harvey Marine Company Two and assigned an officer. We joined FDNY boats Fire Fighter and McKean on the sea-wall to provide the only water available at the site.

Joined on Wednesday by Pilot Bob Lenney (FDNY ret) and Assistant Engineer Jessica DuLong, who provided welcome relief (and remained on board without it themselves), Harvey worked non-stop at the site until last night (Friday) after hydrants had been restored and she was at last sent home.

Countless friends and supporters made Harvey their base for volunteering in the emergency, working on shore on clean-up, rescue work and organization.

Andrew Furber worked as a welder through the Tuesday night cutting people and remains out of emergency vehicles, and later cutting steel that had been WTC 2.

Jean Preece and John Doswell wielded fire hose most of the day Wednesday to provide the only area at the site which was not covered by 2 inches of a horrible, ubiquitous choking dust; this area then became the main supply center for the emergency.

Darren Vigilant provided regular ferry service to and from Pier 63 Maritime in his go-fast boat; John Krevey provided food, beverages and regular, unstinting support.

Captain Pamela Hepburn organized the deck and set up the lines (secured to trees for lack of cleats) with quick-release toggles. (Both John and Pamela's families are homeless as their apartments are adjacent to the site.)

Many others, too numerous to name, pitched in without hesitation.

Remarkably, John J. Harvey turns 70 in 21 days. Supporters of John J. Harvey should be proud that this great old lady was saved to work for our City in crisis.