John D. McKean is a fireboat that served the New York City Fire Department as Marine Company 1. She is named after John D. Mckean, who died in a 1953 steam explosion while trying to save a predecessor fireboat, the George B. McClellan.
John D. McKean was one of the fire boats, along with Fire Fighter and the retired John J. Harvey, that responded to Manhattan during the September 11th attacks to supply firefighters with water after water mains broke following the collapses. The boat helped rescue passengers from US Airways Flight 1549, when she made an emergency landing on the Hudson River in 2009.
In 2010, John D. McKean was retired and put in reserve status, after being replaced by a new vessel, the Three Forty Three, named for the FDNY members who lost their lives in the line of duty on September 11, 2001.
On March 2, 2016, FDNY sold the John D. McKean at auction for $57,400. The vessel was purchased by Edward Taylor and Michael Kaphan, partners in several restaurants. The fireboat was turned over to the Fireboat preservation project which is a non for profit 501(c). The preservation project planned to turn the boat into a floating museum.
In the summer of 2019 the vessel underwent repairs to her hull that required her to be hauled out of the water.
As of 2022 plans were that John D. McKean would moored at Pier 25 in Manhattan, and it was expected to open in spring 2022.
In 2023 the ship was located at Grassy Point, Stony Point, New York at . As of March 2023, the museum had not yet opened.
The vessel was named after a FDNY Marine Engineer who was assigned for one day, September 17, 1953, aboard the FDNY Fireboat George B. McClellan for a special water display in NY harbor for a group of state senators and assemblymen from Albany, NY. McKean was normally assigned to the Fireboat James Duane. During the display operation a condenser in the engine room exploded scalding McKean. Despite what took place, McKean stayed at his post. McKean was brought to a hospital in Staten Island for treatment. McKean passed away five days later on September 22, 1953. Marine Co 1 website.