Fireboats can be described as floating pumping stations with an unlimited supply of water. As one of the most powerful ever built, Harvey surely fits this description.

Four of her five diesel engines are connected to large centrifugal fire pumps.

These pumps are rated at 4000 gallons per minute but can easily exceed that. Each pump draw its water through large sea chests (gates) installed in the hull.

There is a complex system of valves that draw water to the pumps and then distribute throughout the firefighting system to the deck pipes and hose manifolds.

Total output of close to 20,000 gallons per minute (gpm) is distributed through eight deck pipes or monitors which can discharge 2000 to 3000 gpm each.

Manifolds having 24 large diameter connections for fire hose are located on the main deck aft.

Hose reels were built into the main deck forward of the pilot house and on the deck aft of the towers. A fireboat's pumping power is often the only tool that can bring serious waterfront or ship fires under control. Her output is equal to about 20 (or five alarm's worth) of land fire engines.