The fireboats used by the Marine Division of the New York City Fire Department feature Rotork’s IQ range of part-turn intelligent electric actuators that are used to keep the city safe. The IQ part-turn actuators provided are used on ‘Firefighter 2’ and ‘Firefighter 343’. The actuators control the flow of water to the fire nozzles on deck, which means they are vital in the event of an emergency.
Water is extracted from the river upon which the fireboats operate and the actuators then control the flow from the river to the fire nozzle. This ensures that the fireboats have access to an endless supply of water in the event of an emergency. It is critical that the flow of water to the fire nozzles is maintained at all times.
The Rotork actuators were chosen for their longevity and reliability. With water ingress protection, they are double sealed to IP66/68 (20 m for 10 days). The actuators are capable of up to 1,200 starts per hour, making them ideal for a fire-fighting application where duty cycles can be very demanding in emergencies.
Image credit: Rotork