MetalCraft Marine

Tampa Bay Online reports that the city's newest fireboat, a MetalCraft Marine FireStorm 69, has arrived.

The Patriot, a 69-foot, 52-ton vessel, crossed under the Sunshine Skyway about noon today with jets of water flying 100 feet in all directions. The fireboat was built in Kingston, Ontario, and cost $3.8 million � paid for with a Department of Homeland Security grant.

It arrived just before 2 p.m. at Marjorie Park on Davis Islands.

"It's not just a fire boat or a fire fighting resource," said Scott Ehlers, Tampa Fire Rescue's assistant chief of operations. "It is now a command and control element; it's a security element."

The delivery between Kingston and Tampa Bay was not without incident. The Patriot ran aground on a shallow sandbar at low-tide near St. Augustine, Florida and required assistance to get-off.

Here's an interesting YouTbe video of that experience.

There was no damage whatsoever to the vessel which is designed and built for shallow-water operations.

See more photos of The Patriot from its construction, launch, and sea-trials in Kingston.