New Hampshire firefighters honored for response to submarine blaze

Firefighters from numerous Seacoast New Hampshire fire departments were honored Monday by their U.S. senators for bravery in fighting the fire aboard the USS Miami on May 23.

Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Kelly Ayotte spoke before a group of about 40 firefighters and other first responders at Prescott Park.

They also presented the fire departments with a copy of a Senate Resolution, passed unanimously last month, honoring all the firefighters who responded that day.

It took more than 100 firefighters from many area and New England fire departments more than 10 hours to bring the blaze aboard the Miami under control. The Miami was at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for an overhaul when the fire occurred in the ship's forward compartment.

Shaheen and Ayotte talked about the courage of fighting a fire under incredibly difficult conditions. Firefighters went into the sub in 15-minute shifts, encountering black and toxic smoke that rendered them unable to see.

In fact, said acting shipyard Cmdr. James Kalowsky, the fire aboard the Miami was "the most significant event ever experienced at the shipyard."

"The efforts of the rank and file firefighters" from area towns, who were not trained to fight a sub fire, "were astounding and in many cases heroic. We're blessed beyond measure" to have Seacoast-wide fire response teams, Kalowsky said. "We're honored to be part of the Seacoast family."

The two senators, who came to the shipyard within days of the fire, said they were stunned by what they heard.

"Listening to those stories was really amazing," said Shaheen, who added there were 75 rotations down into the submarine that night. "I can't imagine what it was like — the dense smoke, the heat, the fumes from burning insulation. It's incredible no one lost their lives. The smoke was so thick they couldn't see in front of them."

"It's just incredible what firefighters did on May 23, not only from New Hampshire but from throughout New England, as they came together as a team," Ayotte said. "It reminds us not only of what they did on May 23, but of the difficult job that first responders have every single day."

Ayotte said she looks forward to the day when the USS Miami can be rebuilt, as it and all the Navy's submarines are "critically important to national security."

And she reminded the firefighters that the Senate Resolution is not just from New England's senators: "This is a commendation from the United States of America."

The Seacoast New Hampshire fire departments that received a copy of the resolution Monday were Dover, Greenland, Hampton, Lee, New Castle, Newington, Pease Air National Guard, Portsmouth, Rollinsford, Rye and Somersworth.

Portsmouth Assistant Chief Steve Achilles said he appreciated both senators honoring the local firefighters.

"It's important. We worked extremely hard that night. It was one of the Seacoast fire departments' shining moments," he said.

"Some folks say they're heroic," said Dave Lang, president of the Professional Fire Fighters of New Hampshire. "Our guys say they were just doing their job."