By ANDRE BRISCOE   
Monterey County Herald

Monterey fire officials Thursday began training its firefighters on its newest and flashiest piece of equipment: a 34-foot fireboat.

The boat can be used to protect the 90,000 square feet of commercial buildings on the city's two wharves and the nearly 600 boats in the city's harbors.

"This is federal tax dollars coming back to Monterey," said fire Capt. Barry Perkins. "We look forward to training on a fireboat able to fully support the Monterey Fire Department's mission over the water portion of our jurisdiction."

The new aluminum fireboat has an enclosed cabin and a combined pump and engine that will shoot larger amounts of water than the department's previous boat, a 13-foot prototype inflatable.

"This larger, more capable fireboat will extend our City Council's strong stewardship values to our corner of the sensitive Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, while being made available to other Monterey Bay cities through mutual aid if needed," Perkins said.

The boat was built by Metal Craft Marine in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, which built Sausalito's fireboat. Funding was generated through grants and private donations, including a large donation to the Dunspaugh Dalton Foundation, which enabled the department to purchase twin outboard engines and was the catalyst for other donations, said Perkins.

Other funding came from the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, a federal program that aids local fire departments trying to buy equipment, fund firefighter health and safety programs, and provides better emergency medical services programs.

The fireboat will be formally launched during a community celebration later this year, said Perkins.

The department is looking for a name for the boat and will invite schoolchildren to make suggestions.